Perhaps because the state Legislature traditionally has been an overwhelmingly male bastion, it has an equally long history of failing to take seriously claims of sexual harassment.

In recent years, lawmakers have allowed hundreds of thousands of dollars to be used to settle harassment complaints that legislative staffers have brought against legislators. While claiming to have a zero-tolerance policy against sexual harassment, Republican lawmakers allowed one of their number, Nick Miccarelli of Delaware County, to complete his 10th year in office to vest in his publicly funded pension — after Republican Rep. Tarah Toohil of Luzerne County obtained a restraining order against him.

The Toohil case prompted the House to adopt a rule in 2019 banning “unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.”

It’s remarkable that such instruction is necessary. But, sadly yet predictably, it apparently doesn’t go far enough.

Friday in Philadelphia, during a public “listening tour” meeting conducted by Democratic House Speaker Mark Rozzi of Berks County, a lobbyist said she had been sexually harassed by a member of the Legislature.

Andi Perez, who represents more than 10,000 state employees covered by the Service Employees International Union, said she was discussing legislation outside the state Capitol with a male lawmaker who “decided to caress my leg while I was wearing a skirt all the while telling me he was impressed by my passion and knowledge of the issues we were discussing.”

At the meeting, she did not identify the legislator, his party or whether he was a representative or senator. But she said that when she attempted to file a complaint with the state House Ethics Committee, she was told that the ban on sexual harassment applied only to legislative employees.

Ideally, Perez will identify the alleged harasser through some other venue.

Meanwhile, even though it should not be necessary for alleged professionals whom taxpayers pay base salaries of more than $100,000 a year, both legislative houses should adopt rules spelling out that sexual harassment is inappropriate in all circumstances. And to ensure compliance, they should make pensions dependent on it.

— Wilkes Barre Citizens’ Voice