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S2616A
2026 -- S 2616 SUBSTITUTE A
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LC003649/SUB A
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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A N A C T
RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE GENERALLY --
CAUSES OF ACTION
Introduced By:
Senators McKenney, DiMario, Britto, Murray, Vargas, Urso, Zurier, and
Euer
Date Introduced:
February 13, 2026
Referred To:
Senate Judiciary
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Section 9-1-51 of the General Laws in Chapter 9-1 entitled "Causes of
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Action" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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9-1-51. Limitation on actions based on sexual abuse or exploitation of a child.
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(a)(1) All claims or causes of action brought against a
perpetrator defendant
party
by any
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person for recovery of damages for injury suffered as a result of sexual abuse
, including alleging
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negligent supervision of a person that sexually abused a minor, or that the defendant's conduct
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caused or contributed to the childhood sexual abuse by another person to include, but not be limited
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to, wrongful conduct, negligence or default in supervision, hiring, employment, training,
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monitoring, or failure to report and/or the concealment of sexual abuse of a child
shall be
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commenced within the later to expire of:
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(i) Thirty-five (35) years of the act alleged to have caused the injury or condition; or
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(ii) Seven (7) years from the time the victim discovered or reasonably should have
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discovered that the injury or condition was caused by the act.
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Provided, however, that the time limit or commencement of such an action under this
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section shall be tolled for a child until the child reaches eighteen (18) years of age. For the purposes
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of this section, “sexual abuse” shall have the same meaning as in subsection (e) of this section.
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(2)
All claims or causes
A claim or cause
of action
brought against a non-perpetrator
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defendant by any person alleging negligent supervision of a person that sexually abused a minor,
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or that the non-perpetrator defendant’s conduct caused or contributed to the childhood sexual abuse
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by another person to include, but not be limited to, wrongful conduct, neglect or default in
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supervision, hiring, employment, training, monitoring, or failure to report and/or the concealment
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of sexual abuse of a child shall be commenced within the later to expire of:
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(i) Thirty-five (35) years of the act or acts alleged to have caused an injury or condition to
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the minor; or
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(ii) Seven (7) years from the time the victim discovered or reasonably should have
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discovered that the injury or condition was caused by the act.
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Provided, however, that the time limit or commencement of such an action under this
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section shall be tolled for a child until the child reaches eighteen (18) years of age.
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For purposes of this section “sexual abuse” shall have the same meaning as in subsection
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(e) of this section.
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(3) As to a perpetrator defendant, any claim or cause of action based on conduct of sexual
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abuse may be commenced within the time period enumerated in subsections (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii)
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regardless if the claim was time-barred under previous version of the general laws.
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(4) Except as provided in subsection (a)(3) herein, any claim or cause of action based on
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conduct of sexual abuse or conduct that caused or contributed to sexual abuse, if the action is not
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otherwise time-barred under previous version of the general laws on the effective date of this
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section, may be commenced within the time period enumerated in subsections (a)(1) and (a)(2) of
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this section
based on conduct of sexual abuse or conduct that caused or contributed to sexual abuse,
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including alleging negligent supervision of a person that sexually abused a minor or that the
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defendant's conduct caused or contributed to the childhood sexual abuse by another person to
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include, but not be limited to, wrongful conduct, negligence or default in supervision, hiring,
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employment, training, monitoring, or failure to report and/or the concealment of sexual abuse of a
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child regardless if the claims were time-barred under previous versions of the general laws on the
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effective date of this section, may be commenced within the time period enumerated in subsections
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(a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) of this section
.
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(3) Notwithstanding any other law, a cause of action for damages that involves sexual
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conduct or sexual contact with a child, including alleging negligent supervision of a person that
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sexually abused a minor, or that the defendant's conduct caused or contributed to the childhood
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sexual abuse by another person to include, but not be limited to, wrongful conduct, negligence or
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default in supervision, hiring, employment, training, monitoring, or failure to report and/or the
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concealment of sexual abuse of a child, and that would be time barred because of an applicable
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statute of limitations shall be revived and shall be commenced by no later than June 30, 2028.
LC003649/SUB A - Page 2 of 3
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(b) The victim need not establish which act in a series of continuing sexual abuse or
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exploitation incidents caused the injury complained of, but may compute the date of discovery from
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the date of the last act by the same
perpetrator
defendant
which is part of a common scheme or plan
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of sexual abuse or exploitation.
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(c) The knowledge of a custodial parent or guardian shall not be imputed to a person under
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the age of eighteen (18) years.
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(d) For purposes of this section, “child” means a person under the age of eighteen (18)
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years.
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(e) As used in this section, “sexual abuse” means any act committed by the defendant
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against a complainant who was less than eighteen (18) years of age at the time of the act and which
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act would have been a criminal violation of chapter 37 of title 11.
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(f) All claims or causes of action made pursuant to this section against the State of Rhode
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Island or any political subdivision thereof shall be exempt from the application of prejudgment
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interest pursuant to § 9-21-10.
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(g) All claims or causes of action made pursuant to this section against the State of Rhode
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Island or any political subdivision thereof shall be subject to the limitations of damages set forth in
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§§ 9-31-1, 9-31-2, or 9-31-3 and any damages recovered therein shall not exceed the sum of one
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hundred thousand dollars ($100,000).
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(h) In all actions filed pursuant to § 9-1-51(a)(3), other than those actions filed against the
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State of Rhode Island or any political subdivision thereof, in which a verdict is rendered or a
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decision made for pecuniary damages, there shall be added by the clerk of the court to the amount
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of damages interest at the rate of twelve percent (12%) per annum thereon from the date of written
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notice of the claim by the claimant or his or her representative to the defendant or the defendant’s
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insurer or the filing of the action, whichever comes first.
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SECTION 2. Chapter 9-1 of the General Laws entitled "Causes of Action" is hereby
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amended by adding thereto the following section:
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9-1-55. Severability.
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If any provision of this chapter or the application thereof to any person or circumstances is
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held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of this chapter, which
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can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of
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this chapter are declared to be severable.
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SECTION 3. This act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE GENERALLY --
CAUSES OF ACTION
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This act would amend what is considered sexual abuse for purposes of limitations on
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actions based on sexual abuse or exploitation of a child and would amend the provisions for when
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a cause of action may be brought.
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This act would take effect on July 1, 2026.
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