PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) -- Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Bookvar is stepping down after her department failed to properly advertise a proposed amendment to the state constitution that would extend the time for sexual abuse victims to sue their abusers.
Any amendment to the state constitution needs to pass both the state house and senate in two separate sessions, then it goes on the ballot for voters to decide.
Also, the wording of the proposal needs to be advertised in two newspapers in every county in the months leading up to a general election where members of the general assembly are on the ballot.
The department of state issued an apology, as they say that process did not happen before the 2020 election, blaming the oversight on simple human error and noting that they did properly advertise other proposed amendments. The amendment, stemming from the 2019 Catholic clergy sex abuse scandal, would retroactively extend the statute of limitations victims have to seek civil damages from their abusers.
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The department says they will try to expedite the process, but it looks like the failure to advertise means it has to start from the beginning, meaning it must pass two separate sessions before it can be put on the ballot by spring 2023 at the earliest.
Gov. Tom Wolf says he would work with the general assembly on legislative fix rather than the amendment.
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Attorney General Josh Shapiro supports such a move. His office released a statement Monday calling the Department of State's failure "shameful," and saying the amendment process was "an unnecessary hurdle from the beginning."
Shapiro urged the General Assembly and governor to pass the reform so Pennsylvania's survivors of sexual abuse can have their day in court as soon as possible.
Changes Wolf announced at the Department of State on Monday, apart from Boockvar's Feb. 5 resignation, also include new controls such as additional tracking and notifications of constitutional amendments to ensure similar errors do not happen again.
The governor has asked the Pennsylvania Office of State Inspector General to review the situation and make additional recommendations to improve the department’s process for handling constitutional amendments.
House Republicans say they “appreciate the governor’s swift action” but they add they believe it’s harmed people’s faith in the Wolf administration's "ability to carry out the basic processes of our government."
Boockvar has been a part of the Wolf administration for three years, including two years as secretary of the commonwealth.