Bill > HB154

This bill amends Kentucky Revised Statutes (KRS) 413.249 to remove the statute of limitations for civil lawsuits related to childhood sexual assault or abuse, meaning victims can now file a lawsuit at any time, regardless of how long ago the abuse occurred. Previously, victims had a limited window to file a civil action, typically ten years after reaching the age of eighteen. The bill defines "childhood sexual assault or abuse" broadly to include various offenses against individuals under 18, and also clarifies that a civil action can be brought against the perpetrator or an entity that owed a duty of care and failed to prevent the abuse. It also includes provisions for sealing court records in such cases and specifies that certain privileges, like husband-wife or professional-client, will not prevent evidence from being used in court, with exceptions for attorney-client and clergy-penitent privileges. The bill also retroactively applies these changes to actions that occurred before the law was previously amended in 2017 and revives claims that were already barred by the statute of limitations as of March 23, 2021, allowing them to be brought within five years of their original expiration date.

Justice

https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26RS/hb154.html