Removes statute of limitations for certain civil actions related to child sexual assault offenses.
Summary
This bill would eliminate the statute of limitations for certain civil claims arising from child sexual abuse and related offenses. It amends the Civil Practice Law and Rules to allow a person who suffered physical, psychological, or other injury from sexual offenses committed against them as a child to bring a civil action at any time, rather than being required to sue before age 55. The bill also expands the existing child sexual abuse civil claims provisions to expressly include sex trafficking, sex trafficking of a child, incest, and the use of a child in a sexual performance.
The bill further revises New York’s revival and limitations provisions for these cases. It changes CPLR 213-c so that claims involving child victims of the covered offenses may be brought at any time, and it updates CPLR 214-g to revive previously time-barred claims and claims previously dismissed for failure to comply with notice-of-claim requirements. The bill states that a criminal charge or conviction is not required to pursue the civil case, and it preserves certain affirmative defenses already available under the Penal Law.
Impact
If enacted, the bill would significantly expand survivors’ ability to file civil lawsuits in New York for childhood sexual abuse-related harms by removing time limits entirely for covered claims. It would amend multiple sections of the Civil Practice Law and Rules, including the provisions governing tolling, limitations periods, and revival of expired claims, and would override contrary limitation periods and certain notice-of-claim rules for these actions. The bill would affect alleged perpetrators as well as institutions or other parties whose intentional or negligent acts or omissions are alleged to have enabled the abuse, and it would open the courthouse to previously barred claims.
Sentiment
The bill’s framing and sponsor list suggest strong support for survivors and a generally sympathetic policy goal of expanding access to civil justice for victims of child sexual abuse and exploitation. No committee transcript or vote record is provided, so there is no documented floor or committee debate in the supplied materials. Based on the text alone, the measure appears to be presented as a survivor-centered reform rather than a contested procedural change.
Contention
The main points of potential contention are the complete elimination of limitations periods and the revival of previously time-barred claims, which can raise concerns about stale evidence, litigation exposure, and fairness to defendants. Another likely issue is the bill’s application to parties alleged to have acted negligently, not just direct abusers, which could broaden liability for institutions such as schools, churches, youth organizations, foster care agencies, and other custodial entities. The bill also preserves certain affirmative defenses, indicating an effort to balance expanded access for survivors with existing defenses available under criminal-law analogues.
Payment rates established for certain substance use disorder treatment services, and vendor eligibility recodified for payments from the behavioral health fund.
Cover Outstanding Vulnerable Expansion-eligible Residents Now Act or the COVER Now Act This bill establishes a demonstration program to allow local governments to provide health benefits to the Medicaid expansion population in states that have not expanded Medicaid. Under the program, local governments may provide coverage for individuals who are newly eligible for Medicaid under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (i.e., the Medicaid expansion population) for a maximum of 10 years, or until their respective states expand Medicaid. The bill provides a 100% federal matching rate for the first three years of program participation. The bill prohibits states from taking certain actions against participating localities, such as withholding funding, increasing taxes, or restricting provider participation. States that violate these requirements are subject to certain funding penalties.