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House approves limited statute- and constitution-frame windows for childhood sexual‑abuse suits
Summary
Members passed a two‑year statutory window (House Bill 462) and a proposed constitutional amendment (House Bill 464) to permit certain previously time‑barred childhood sexual‑abuse civil claims. Sponsors cited the 2018 statewide grand jury report; both measures passed the floor with recorded votes.
The House voted on companion measures aimed at providing a limited civil window for victims of childhood sexual abuse whose claims were previously time‑barred.
Representative Davidson, prime sponsor of both measures, framed the bills as remedies for survivors who were denied timely access to courts under earlier filing deadlines. He read excerpts from the 2018 statewide grand jury report and said the proposal would “open a limited window, offering them a chance finally to be heard in court.”
The House recorded votes on both measures: - House Bill 462 (statutory two‑year window and retroactive waiver of sovereign and governmental immunity for certain victims) passed on final passage by a recorded vote of 122 ayes to 80 nays. - House Bill 464 (constitutional amendment to provide a two‑year window for previously time‑barred claims) passed on final passage by a recorded vote of 138 ayes to 64 nays.
Sponsor remarks emphasized the narrow scope of the window and the goal of providing survivors an opportunity to sue where previous statute-of-limitations rules had closed the courthouse door well before revelations of institutional misconduct.
Why it matters: The measures open legal avenues for survivors of childhood sexual abuse who previously could not bring civil suits because the statute of limitations had expired. HB 462 is statutory; HB 464 is the constitutional-amendment path that requires additional procedural steps to become effective.
What’s next: HB 462 will be presented to the Senate for concurrence, and HB 464, as a proposed constitutional amendment, will require action in a subsequent legislative session to proceed to voters.
