State agency bungles ballot referendum for child sex victims

By MARK SCOLFORO and MARC LEVY Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Victims of child sexual abuse might have to wait two years or more to pursue legal claims because of a major bureaucratic bungle that prompted angry denunciations across the political spectrum and the resignation of a top Pennsylvania state official. The Wolf administration disclosed Monday that a proposed state constitutional amendment allowing lawsuits over decadesold claims wasn't advertised as required and so cannot appear on the ballot this spring. As a result, no statewide referendum to add it to the state constitution may be possible before 2023. The Department of State is calling it "simple human error" and Gov. Tom Wolf is apologizing. As a result, Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar is leaving her job.