State Rep. Abby Major | Pennsylvania 60th Legislative District
State Rep. Abby Major | Pennsylvania 60th Legislative District
In Harrisburg, five female members of the House Republican Caucus have introduced a legislative package aimed at reforming sexual harassment policies to protect both taxpayers and victims. This move follows recent incidents involving former Rep. Mike Zabel and a $295,000 settlement related to Mike Vereb.
Rep. Abby Major (R-Armstrong/Westmoreland) emphasized the need for tighter rules, stating: “While the House expanded the House Ethical Conduct Rules in 2019...recent incidents have shown we need to tighten our rules further.” Her resolution seeks to amend these rules by broadening the definition of sexual harassment and increasing transparency regarding complaints.
Rep. Kate Klunk (R-York) highlighted the importance of protecting victim identities in settlements, saying: “It’s unacceptable that information as sensitive as a victim’s name can be accessed by the public through the right to know process.” Her bill aims to amend the Right-to-Know Law accordingly.
Rep. Donna Scheuren (R-Montgomery) advocates for government transparency by including settlement details on PennWATCH, asserting that this could deter inappropriate behavior. She stated: “By including settlement information on PennWATCH, Commonwealth residents will have a clearer picture of what is happening in state government.”
Rep. Charity Grimm Krupa (R-Fayette) proposes legislation for accountability among officials whose actions lead to costly settlements. She remarked: “The cost of their failure...should not be borne by innocent taxpayers.”
Lastly, Rep. Ann Flood's proposal aligns state law with federal protections against retaliation for sexual harassment claims, aiming to encourage victims to speak out without fear.
These legislative efforts reflect an ongoing commitment from Republican women in Pennsylvania's House to address sexual harassment more effectively.
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