Pennsylvania House Bill HB462

Pennsylvania 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/4/25
• Refer: 2/4/25
• Refer: 5/14/25
• Report Pass: 6/9/25
• Engrossed: 6/9/25
• Refer: 6/18/25

Caption

An Act amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in limitation of time, further providing for infancy, insanity or imprisonment; in matters affect . . .ing government units, further providing for exceptions to sovereign immunity and for exceptions to governmental immunity; and making a repeal.

Summary

HB462 would expand the time period for certain civil claims arising from sexual abuse and create a temporary revival window for older claims that are otherwise time-barred. Under the bill, a person who was under 18 when the abuse occurred would have 37 years after turning 18 to file a civil action, and a person who was at least 18 but under 24 when the abuse occurred would have until age 30 to sue. The bill also revives expired claims for a two-year period after the act takes effect, subject to limits for cases already finally resolved or fully settled. The bill also amends Pennsylvania’s sovereign immunity and governmental immunity laws to allow negligence-based claims against the Commonwealth and local agencies for injuries caused by conduct constituting certain sexual offenses. Those changes are made retroactive for claims whose limitations periods have not yet expired, and they are tied to the bill’s new revival provision. The act includes a repeal of a prior 2019 provision to the extent needed to carry out these changes, declares the provisions nonseverable, and gives the Pennsylvania Supreme Court extraordinary jurisdiction over constitutional challenges to the act.

Impact

HB462 would significantly alter Title 42 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes by extending and reviving civil statutes of limitations for sexual abuse claims and by creating new exceptions to sovereign and governmental immunity for negligence tied to sexual abuse offenses. It would affect survivors seeking civil damages, as well as the Commonwealth, local agencies, and their employees, by exposing public entities to liability in circumstances that were previously barred or more limited. The bill also expressly applies some provisions retroactively and immediately upon enactment, which broadens its practical reach.

Sentiment

The voting history suggests the bill was controversial but ultimately advanced with support. It passed the House Judiciary Committee by a narrow 15-11 vote, then failed on an earlier House floor vote 91-112, but later passed final House passage 122-80 after being re-reported by Appropriations. That pattern indicates substantial support for the bill’s survivor-focused reforms, alongside significant opposition to its retroactive legal effects and liability expansion.

Contention

The main points of contention are the revival of expired claims, the retroactive application of liability provisions, and the expansion of exposure for government entities. Supporters appear to favor giving survivors of sexual abuse a longer or renewed opportunity to seek civil remedies, while opponents likely object to reopening old cases, the impact on settled or final judgments, and the increased liability for the Commonwealth and local agencies. The bill’s nonseverability clause and extraordinary Supreme Court jurisdiction also signal anticipated constitutional disputes, which may have contributed to the divided votes.