The bill amends section 5851b of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961 to provide individuals who are victims of criminal sexual conduct with an extended timeframe to file claims for damages. Specifically, it allows victims to commence an action at any time before ten years after the claim accrues, or until they reach the age of 42, or within seven years after discovering their injury and its causal relationship to the conduct. Additionally, if there is a criminal prosecution that results in a conviction for criminal sexual conduct, victims may bring an action without any time limitation.

The bill also revives claims for individuals who were victims of criminal sexual conduct after December 31, 1996, allowing them to file a lawsuit within one year after the effective date of the amendatory act, provided certain conditions regarding the defendant's conviction are met. Furthermore, it establishes a cap of $1,500,000 in damages for claims arising from each incident of criminal sexual conduct. The definitions of "adjudication" and "criminal sexual conduct" are updated to reflect current legal terminology and references.

Statutes affected:
House Introduced Bill: 600.5851, 500.5851