Legislation introduced in the state House and Senate to address sexual harassment and assault in the legislature is a step in the right direction for victims, according to Butler County's nonprofit victim's advocate organization.

The #MeToo Pennsylvania General Assembly Act, recently introduced as House Bill 1000 and Senate Bill 480, would ban nondisclosure agreements that mask the name of legislators who harass staff members, prohibit legislators from use of tax dollars to pay secret settlement agreements and provide counseling for victims.

“It certainly is a step in the right direction for those who have been victims of sexual harassment or sexual assault,” said Linda Strachan, executive director of Victim Outreach Intervention Center in Butler. “We certainly in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania want to keep our legislators and our state employees safe.”

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