California AB 250: What Adult Sexual Assault Survivors Need to Know About Their Civil Rights in 2026

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

What AB 250 Does and How It Differs From Prior California Lookback Laws

California Assembly Bill 250 was enacted in October 2025 and took effect on January 1, 2026. The law establishes a two-year civil revival window for adult survivors of sexual assault in California whose prior statute of limitations had already closed.

California had previously expanded civil rights for childhood sexual abuse survivors through separate lookback legislation. AB 250 addresses a different population: survivors who were adults when the assault occurred and whose prior civil filing window has since closed. The distinction matters because different laws apply different timelines and eligibility rules. Survivors should not assume eligibility under AB 250 based solely on familiarity with prior California lookback laws.

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

Who Is Covered

AB 250 covers adult survivors of sexual assault in California whose civil claims had expired before January 1, 2026. The key eligibility questions are: Was the survivor an adult at the time of the assault? Was the assault civil sexual assault under California law? And has the prior statute of limitations expired?

Survivors assaulted in institutional settings may also have claims against the institution itself. Institutional liability can apply when an employer, healthcare provider, religious organization, or educational institution had supervisory responsibility over the abuser and failed to take reasonable steps to prevent or address known misconduct.

What the Law Does Not Require

A civil claim under AB 250 does not require a prior police report, an active criminal investigation, or any prior legal action. Civil and criminal cases are separate proceedings governed by different standards. The outcome of any prior criminal matter, including no charges, a dismissal, or a conviction, does not determine civil eligibility.

Survivors do not need to have contemporaneous documentation or physical evidence. Civil claims for sexual assault are regularly built on survivor testimony, institutional records, corroborating accounts, and patterns of organizational conduct.

The Time Sensitivity of Revival Windows

Revival windows are temporary by design. AB 250's two-year revival period began January 1, 2026. Survivors who may qualify should understand that the window is finite, and that acting earlier gives more time to build a complete claim.

California has shown through prior lookback legislation that survivor interest is often highest in the early months of a window and that early filing allows attorneys more time to gather institutional records, identify corroborating evidence, and prepare the strongest possible case. Waiting until near the end of the window compresses this preparation time significantly.

5 Ways AB 250 Differs From Prior California Sexual Abuse Lookback Laws

California has enacted multiple survivor-rights laws over the past decade. AB 250 is the newest, but it is distinct from its predecessors in important ways.

1. Adult survivors, not childhood abuse: Prior California lookback legislation focused primarily on childhood sexual abuse survivors. AB 250 is specifically designed for survivors who were adults at the time of the assault.
2. New filing opportunity for expired claims: AB 250 revives claims that had already expired under the prior SOL, giving a second window to survivors who could not file earlier.
3. Applies to assault in any setting: The law is not limited to a specific institutional context. It can apply to sexual assault in workplaces, healthcare, religious settings, educational institutions, and other contexts.
4. Separate from childhood lookback calculations: Eligibility under AB 250 is determined by the adult survivor's prior filing deadline, not by childhood abuse SOL formulas based on age of majority.
5. Institutional liability is expressly included: Institutional claims against employers, facilities, and organizations with supervisory responsibility over the abuser are available under the law.

Frequently asked questions

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