Pennsylvania Legislation

Pennsylvania Coalition to Advance Respect  

Legislative Agenda

 2025-2026

The Pennsylvania Coalition to Advance Respect works to eliminate all forms of sexual violence and advocate for the rights and needs of sexual assault victims. We are a Coalition comprised of rape crisis centers that serve all 67 counties of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Together, we seek legislative reforms that expand the rights and options of victims and strengthen sexual assault prevention in every community. We respectfully submit these core legislative priorities, in no particular order, of our Coalition and invite partnership and support.

• Establish a look-back window for adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse to access civil justice:  Survivors of child sexual abuse have spent decades asking our state legislature for the opportunity to pursue justice against those who harmed them. They ask for a retroactive window that would allow them to hold responsible those that hurt them, even if the statute of limitations has expired. A look-back window would open a two-year timeframe during which survivors would have the opportunity to pursue civil remedies in court, including victims who would normally be barred from civil litigation by the statute of limitations. A retroactive window opens a critical pathway toward justice and healing for past victims. It also protects children of today by bringing to justice individuals who have committed child sexual abuse and who may still pose a risk in our communities.
• Child sexual abuse prevention and response: We seek legislation and partnerships that would further protect children and prevent child sexual abuse and trafficking—online, in person, and throughout the Commonwealth. We support teachers and school districts working to identify abuse in online environments and to implement child sexual abuse and exploitation prevention programs in collaboration with community-based organizations, such as rape crisis centers.
• Safe housing for victims of sexual assault: We seek to strengthen housing protections in both the private and public sectors to expand victims’ housing protections. This supports a dual goal of helping survivors of sexual assault secure safe housing and preventing future victimization experiences resulting from housing instability. Many Pennsylvanians face economic and housing insecurity.  Inflation, and other factors have exacerbated this vulnerability. Too often, sexual abuse can cause— or be a result of— housing insecurity, homelessness, and poverty. This is true among single adults and families with children.
• Protections for immigrant and refugee victims fleeing abuse and assault: We seek partnerships and legislation that will strengthen Pennsylvania’s U-Visa process and expand the safety of victims. Undocumented and refugee children and adults face alarming risks of trafficking, abuse, and assault. U-Visa protections are available to victims who cooperate with law enforcement. Federal U-Visas are critically important to law enforcement as they investigate and prosecute dangerous criminal activity in our communities. Unfortunately, Pennsylvania’s inconsistent certification procedures leave many victims and communities at risk of ongoing harm and abuse.
• Protect the full range of reproductive healthcare for victims and all people: We firmly stand behind the rights of victims and survivors to access safe, legal abortion care. These rights must be available to all persons. We oppose any effort–legislative or otherwise–that restricts or bans reproductive healthcare, including any effort to restrict or ban abortion. Every person deserves the freedom and bodily autonomy to access reproductive healthcare and abortion when they need it. We believe every person has the right to do so safely, legally, and without governmental intrusion. Children, adolescents, and adults who become pregnant through rape or incest must have the right to continue or end a rape-related pregnancy
• Expand victims’ access to trauma-informed healthcare and advocacy services:  We seek legislative, administrative, and other efforts to further expand victims’ access to trauma-informed medical care. This includes access to Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners, and the enforcement of victims’ rights to consult with sexual assault counselors and advocates from local rape crisis centers before, during, and after the forensic rape exam.

In addition to these priorities, we are committed to engaging in legislative efforts that enable us to advance our mission and core values of victim rights, social transformation, equity, and racial justice. We will monitor legislation to identify and advocate for bills that enhance or protect the rights of survivors of sexual abuse, assault, and harassment.  Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, the rapid development of AI generated intimate images, human trafficking education and awareness, and strangulation connected to sexual assault. We strive to be a fundamental resource and subject matter expert in Pennsylvania for sexual abuse, assault, and harassment.

Please contact Gabriella Romeo, Public Policy Director for more information: gromeo@pcar-respecttogether.org; 717-728-9740, x114.

1. Establish a statewide tracking system for all sexual assault evidence:
   Act 122 of 2024: Allows survivors to track the status of their kit throughout the testing process. This will enable survivors to monitor the statues of their kits during an investigation, bringing transparency and accountability to the process. Pennsylvania joins 35 states and D.C. that have already implemented kit tracking systems.
    
2. Combating AI Generated Child Porn and Deepfakes
   Act 125 of 2024: Addresses the rise of AI-generated deepfake sexual images of children and non-consenting adults. Prohibits AI from being utilized to generate child sexual abuse material, previously referred to as “child pornography.” Law enforcement will now have the ability to prosecute individuals who generate and disseminate these types of images.
    
3. Animal Abuse in Domestic Violence Situations
   Act 146 of 2024: Amends Pennsylvania’s Protection from Abuse Act to give judges the ability to order defendants to refrain from possessing, abusing or harming a petitioner’s companion animal.
    
4. Protecting Child Victims and Witnesses in Agency Administrative Proceedings
   Act 23 of 2024: This law ensures that child victims are entitled to have an advocate present during Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) administrative hearings.
    
5. Preventing Abuse in Child Custody Proceedings – Kayden’s Law
   Act 8 of 2024: This law strengthens current factors that judges must consider in making custody and visitation decisions, to make it clear that the most important issue is the protection of the child. It also ensures that if there is a finding by the court of an ongoing risk of abuse, that any custody order includes safety conditions and restrictions necessary, including supervised visitation, to protect the child. It also encourages the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania to implement an annual educational and training program for judges and relevant court personnel on child abuse, adverse childhood experiences, domestic violence, and its impact on children.

1. No Pelvic Exam without Consent
   Act 31 of 2023: Patient consent is now required for the performance of pelvic, rectal, and prostate examinations while a patient is under anesthesia for unrelated procedures.
    
2. Expanding Access to Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners
   Act 59 of 2023: Creates a list, available via the Internet, of available hospitals with SANE nurse staff. Requires hospitals to report any changes to their SANE nurse capabilities.
    
3. Ensuring Victims of Human Trafficking have Access to Services
   Act 39 of 2023: Provides further definitions for the offense of trafficking in individuals and for the offense of patronizing a victim of sexual servitude.

• PASAC Public Policy Committee: We meet the first and third Thursday of every month. Please consider sharing your insight and experience as we work together to expand options for survivors and strengthen prevention through public policy.