AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE GENERALLY -- CAUSES OF ACTION (Amends what is considered sexual abuse for purposes of limitations on actions based on sexual abuse or exploitation of a child and would amend the provisions for when a cause of action may be brought.)

S2616

2026 -- S 2616
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LC003649
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
____________
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, and Zurier

Date Introduced:
February 13, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Judiciary
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
1
SECTION 1. Section 9-1-51 of the General Laws in Chapter 9-1 entitled "Causes of
2
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.
4
(a)(1) All claims or causes of action brought against a
perpetrator defendant

party
by any
5
person for recovery of damages for injury suffered as a result of sexual abuse
, including alleging
6
negligent supervision of a person that sexually abused a minor, or that the defendant's conduct
7
caused or contributed to the childhood sexual abuse by another person to include, but not be limited
8
to, wrongful conduct, negligence or default in supervision, hiring, employment, training,
9
monitoring, or failure to report and/or the concealment of sexual abuse of a child
shall be
10
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
13
discovered that the injury or condition was caused by the act.
14
Provided, however, that the time limit or commencement of such an action under this
15
section shall be tolled for a child until the child reaches eighteen (18) years of age. For the purposes
16
of this section, “sexual abuse” shall have the same meaning as in subsection (e) of this section.
17
(2)
All claims or causes

A claim or cause
of action
brought against a non-perpetrator
18
defendant by any person alleging negligent supervision of a person that sexually abused a minor,

1
or that the non-perpetrator defendant’s conduct caused or contributed to the childhood sexual abuse
2
by another person to include, but not be limited to, wrongful conduct, neglect or default in
3
supervision, hiring, employment, training, monitoring, or failure to report and/or the concealment
4
of sexual abuse of a child shall be commenced within the later to expire of:
5

(i) Thirty-five (35) years of the act or acts alleged to have caused an injury or condition to
6
the minor; or
7

(ii) Seven (7) years from the time the victim discovered or reasonably should have
8
discovered that the injury or condition was caused by the act.
9

Provided, however, that the time limit or commencement of such an action under this
10
section shall be tolled for a child until the child reaches eighteen (18) years of age.
11

For purposes of this section “sexual abuse” shall have the same meaning as in subsection
12
(e) of this section.
13

(3) As to a perpetrator defendant, any claim or cause of action based on conduct of sexual
14
abuse may be commenced within the time period enumerated in subsections (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii)
15
regardless if the claim was time-barred under previous version of the general laws.
16

(4) Except as provided in subsection (a)(3) herein, any claim or cause of action based on
17
conduct of sexual abuse or conduct that caused or contributed to sexual abuse, if the action is not
18
otherwise time-barred under previous version of the general laws on the effective date of this
19
section, may be commenced within the time period enumerated in subsections (a)(1) and (a)(2) of
20
this section

based on conduct of sexual abuse or conduct that caused or contributed to sexual abuse,
21
including alleging negligent supervision of a person that sexually abused a minor or that the
22
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,
24
employment, training, monitoring, or failure to report and/or the concealment of sexual abuse of a
25
child regardless if the claims were time-barred under previous versions of the general laws on the
26
effective date of this section, may be commenced within the time period enumerated in subsections
27
(a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) of this section
.
28

(3) Any action dismissed solely as a result of the previous statute of limitations for child
29
sexual abuse shall be revived by this section.
30

(4) Notwithstanding any other law, a cause of action for damages that involves sexual
31
conduct or sexual contact with a child, including alleging negligent supervision of a person that
32
sexually abused a minor, or that the defendant's conduct caused or contributed to the childhood
33
sexual abuse by another person to include, but not be limited to, wrongful conduct, negligence or
34
default in supervision, hiring, employment, training, monitoring, or failure to report and/or the

LC003649 - Page 2 of 4
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concealment of sexual abuse of a child, and that would be time barred because of an applicable
2
statute of limitations shall be revived and shall be commenced by no later than June 30, 2028.
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(b) The victim need not establish which act in a series of continuing sexual abuse or
4
exploitation incidents caused the injury complained of, but may compute the date of discovery from
5
the date of the last act by the same
perpetrator

defendant
which is part of a common scheme or plan
6
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
8
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)
10
years.
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(e) As used in this section, “sexual abuse” means any act committed by the defendant
12
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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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.

17

If any provision of this chapter or the application thereof to any person or circumstances is
18
held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of this chapter, which
19
can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of
20
this chapter are declared to be severable.
21
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
***
1
This act would amend what is considered sexual abuse for purposes of limitations on
2
actions based on sexual abuse or exploitation of a child and would amend the provisions for when
3
a cause of action may be brought.
4
This act would take effect on July 1, 2026.
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LC003649 - Page 4 of 4