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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | March 8, 2023 09:02 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Lindsey M. Williams and Sen. Katie J. Muth |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Updating Senate Rules to Protect Against Harassment |
| On January 3, 2023, we offered Senate Resolution 5 to revise the Senate Ethics Rules and provide workplace protections against sexual harassment. Senate Resolution 5 would protect both Senate employees and those who advocate on behalf of causes or communities in the Pennsylvania Senate. Our proposed reforms to the Senate Ethics Rules would establish new protocols by which the Senate would address sexual harassment complaints against its Members, Officers, and employees. These protections, similar to those adopted by the House of Representatives, would apply to all individuals working with the Senate, including outside contractors, lobbyists, and visitors, and extend the statute of limitations for filing a complaint from 1 to 5 years. Instead of adopting these changes on the first day of session, Senate Resolution 5 was referred along party lines to the Rules Committee, where it has remained. While the Senate Democratic Caucus has since updated its internal workplace harassment and discrimination policy, everyone who advocates before the Senate should be protected from harassment. Legislators on both side of the aisle and in both chambers have recognized the need to act now. We are circulating this memo as an opportunity to join us in calling for much needed reforms to the ethics rules governing the Senate. |