The 2026 Wave of Sexual Abuse Statute of Limitations Reforms: Which States Changed Their Laws

Reviewed by Survivor Rights Center · Updated 2026-06-25

Rhode Island: A Two-Year Revival Window for Childhood Abuse Survivors

Rhode Island enacted legislation on June 11, 2026, creating a two-year civil revival window for survivors of childhood sexual abuse. The window opens July 1, 2026 and closes June 30, 2028. Previously time-barred claims may now be filed against both individual abusers and the institutions that employed or supervised them.

A Rhode Island state investigation into the Diocese of Providence found approximately 75 clergy with credible abuse allegations and more than 300 children affected since 1950. Covered institutions include churches, schools, youth programs, healthcare facilities, sports organizations, and private detention centers. After the revival window closes, Rhode Island's forward-looking SOL will allow claims until the later of 35 years from the date of abuse or 7 years from discovery of the connection between adult harm and childhood abuse.

This page is general educational information only. The Survivor Rights Center is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.

California: AB 250 Revives Adult Survivor Claims

California Assembly Bill 250 was signed in October 2025 and took effect January 1, 2026. The law creates a two-year revival window for adult survivors of sexual assault whose civil claims had already expired under the prior statute of limitations. This is distinct from California's earlier lookback legislation, which focused on childhood sexual abuse specifically.

California continues to be among the most active states in expanding civil rights for survivors. AB 250 addresses a gap in prior law by extending revival protections to adults assaulted outside the childhood context, including in workplace, healthcare, religious, and educational settings.

Iowa: Extended Statute of Limitations for Childhood Abuse

Iowa's governor signed H.F. 1036 on May 15, 2026. The law extends the civil statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse survivors from one year after reaching the age of majority to five years, and also allows five years from the date a survivor first discovers the connection between their adult injuries and the childhood abuse. Iowa does not have a retroactive revival window for claims that have already expired, but the extended forward-looking period is a meaningful reform for future claims.

Pending Reforms in Colorado, Delaware, and Wisconsin

Several states are advancing more significant SOL reforms in 2026 that, if enacted, would change the landscape further. Colorado has pending legislation, SRC 25-002, that would be subject to a voter referendum in November 2026 and would eliminate the civil statute of limitations entirely for sexual abuse claims. Delaware's HB 75 would similarly move toward complete elimination of the SOL for childhood sexual abuse survivors. Wisconsin's Assembly Bill 414 proposes extending the current 10-year civil SOL to 20 years.

Pending bills are not yet law. Survivors relying on any pending reform should monitor the legislation in their state for enacted status before acting. The CHILD USA nonprofit maintains a statute-of-limitations tracker updated as laws are passed.

5 Key Terms to Know When Reading SOL Reform News

Statute of limitations reform coverage uses specific terms that have precise legal meanings. Understanding them helps you evaluate what a given change actually does for survivors.

1. Revival window (lookback window): A temporary period during which previously time-barred claims can be filed. When the window closes, those claims are permanently barred again. This is the most significant reform for survivors whose deadlines have already passed.
2. Statute of limitations extension: An increase in the amount of time a survivor has to file, measured from the date of abuse, age of majority, or date of discovery. Extensions help future claimants but do not reopen already-expired claims.
3. Discovery rule: A provision that starts the SOL clock from the date a survivor first recognizes the connection between their adult harm and the abuse, rather than from the date the abuse occurred. Particularly significant for survivors who repressed memories or did not recognize the abuse's impact until adulthood.
4. Age of majority trigger: Many SOL laws pause the filing clock until the survivor turns 18 and then start a countdown from that date. Reforms often extend this post-majority period significantly.
5. Elimination of SOL: Some states are moving toward removing the statute of limitations entirely for childhood sexual abuse civil claims, meaning a survivor can file at any point in their lifetime. Colorado and Delaware are pursuing this approach in 2026.

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