Bill > HB479

This bill, known as the Child Victim Protection Act of 2020, aims to provide greater protections for individuals who have suffered from childhood sexual abuse. The key provisions of the bill are: 1. Extending the statute of limitations for civil actions related to childhood sexual abuse - individuals can now file a claim up to age 23 or within 4 years of discovering the harm from the abuse, whichever is later. The bill also allows individuals between ages 23-38 to file claims on or after July 1, 2020, even if their previous claims were time-barred. 2. Establishing different standards for proving negligence or gross negligence against entities (e.g., organizations, institutions) that employed or had control over the person who committed the sexual abuse. Plaintiffs must meet a higher bar to hold entities liable. 3. Providing a one-year window starting July 1, 2020, for plaintiffs of any age to file claims that were previously time-barred, with certain limitations on actions against entities. The bill aims to give victims more time to come forward and seek legal recourse, while also balancing the liability for entities that may have been negligent in preventing or addressing the abuse.