Modifies provisions relating to civil actions for childhood sexual abuse, including the statute of limitations for such actions

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Modifies provisions relating to civil actions for childhood sexual abuse, including the statute of limitations for such actions

The following summaries of this bill are available: Print All Summaries Introduced Print SB 1140 - Currently, a civil action for recovery of damages suffered as a result of childhood sexual abuse shall be brought within ten years after the victim reaches the age of twenty-one or within three years of the victim discovering that the injury or illness was caused by childhood sexual abuse, whichever is later.

What This Bill Does

• The following summaries of this bill are available: Print All Summaries Introduced Print SB 1140 - Currently, a civil action for recovery of damages suffered as a result of childhood sexual abuse shall be brought within ten years after the victim reaches the age of twenty-one or within three years of the victim discovering that the injury or illness was caused by childhood sexual abuse, whichever is later.
• This act provides that a civil action for recovery of damages suffered as a result of childhood sexual abuse or tortious conduct that caused the victim to be a victim of childhood sexual abuse may be commenced at any time.
• This act is substantially similar to SB 589 (2025), HB 883 (2025), HB 1132 (2025), a provision in SB 1063 (2024), in SB 1092 (2024), SB 416 (2023), and is similar to HB 114 (2025), SB 747 (2025), a provision in HCS/HB 367 (2023), and in HB 1139 (2023).
• KATIE O'BRIEN

Limits and Unknowns

• This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Official Summary Text

The following summaries of this bill are available:

Print All Summaries

Introduced

Print

SB 1140 - Currently, a civil action for recovery of damages suffered as a result of childhood sexual abuse shall be brought within ten years after the victim reaches the age of twenty-one or within three years of the victim discovering that the injury or illness was caused by childhood sexual abuse, whichever is later. This act provides that a civil action for recovery of damages suffered as a result of childhood sexual abuse or tortious conduct that caused the victim to be a victim of childhood sexual abuse may be commenced at any time.

This act is substantially similar to SB 589 (2025), HB 883 (2025), HB 1132 (2025), a provision in SB 1063 (2024), in SB 1092 (2024), SB 416 (2023), and is similar to HB 114 (2025), SB 747 (2025), a provision in HCS/HB 367 (2023), and in HB 1139 (2023).
KATIE O'BRIEN

Current Bill Text

EXPLANATION-Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in this bill is not enacted
and is intended to be omitted in the law.
SECOND REGULAR SESSION
SENATE BILL NO. 1140
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR HUDSON.
4634S.01I KRISTINA MARTIN, Secretary
AN ACT
To repeal section 537.046, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof one new section relating to childhood
sexual abuse actions.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Section 537.046, RSMo, is repealed and one new 1
section enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as section 537.046, 2
to read as follows:3
537.046. 1. As used in this section, the following 1
terms mean: 2
(1) "Childhood sexual abuse", any act committed by the 3
defendant, or an act committed by an individual if the 4
defendant's tortious conduct causes such act to occur, 5
against the plaintiff which act occurred when the plaintiff 6
was under the age of eighteen years and which act would have 7
been a violation of section 566.030, 566.031, 566.032, 8
566.034, 566.060, 566.061, 566.062, 566.064, 566.067, 9
566.068, 566.069, 566.071, 566.083, 566.086, 566.093, 10
566.095, 566.100, 566.101, 566.209, 566.210, 566.211, 11
568.020, or 573.200; 12
(2) "Injury" or "illness", either a physical injury or 13
illness or a psychological injury or illness. A 14
psychological injury or illness need not be accompanied by 15
physical injury or illness. 16
SB 1140 2
2. Any action against any party to recover damages 17
from injury or illness caused by childhood sexual abuse or 18
tortious conduct that causes a victim to be a victim of 19
childhood sexual abuse in an action brought pursuant to this 20
section [shall be commenced within ten years of the 21
plaintiff attaining the age of twenty-one or within three 22
years of the date the plaintiff discovers, or reasonably 23
should have discovered, that the injury or illness was 24
caused by childhood sexual abuse, whichever later occurs] 25
may be commenced at any time. 26
3. This section shall apply to any action arising on 27
or after August 28, 2025. 28
4. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the 29
contrary, a nondisclosure agreement by any party to a 30
childhood sexual abuse action shall not be judicially 31
enforceable in a dispute involving childhood sexual abuse 32
allegations or claims, and shall be void. 33
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