Pennsylvania Senate Bill Aims To Ban Non-Disclosure In Sexual Misconduct Cases
HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) -- A group of Democratic Pennsylvania state senators say they will introduce a bill that would prohibit non-disclosure agreements in sexual harassment cases.
The Democratic state Senators say allowing perpetrators to hide behind non-disclosure agreements has allowed sexual harassment to become pervasive -- as evidenced by the surge of harassment cases that have come to light in recent weeks. Under their proposal, no contract or settlement could prohibit a person from revealing the identity of someone who allegedly committed sexual misconduct.
Philadelphia Democrat Larry Farnese is a state senator and an attorney. He says the law cannot act as a "rigid shield" to protect predators.
"Especially those who, as we have seen, can harass, and assault, and prey upon women for years and years and then hide behind agreements," he said.
The legislation in the works would also prohibit settlements from creating other barriers to transparency such as requiring the destruction of evidence.