Senate Bill No. [insert bill number] aims to revise laws related to crime victims by eliminating the statute of limitations for claims of childhood sexual abuse. The bill amends Section 27-2-216 of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to allow individuals to file lawsuits for damages resulting from childhood sexual abuse at any time, removing previous requirements that limited the timeframe for filing based on the victim's age or the discovery of the injury. Specifically, the language that previously mandated actions to be commenced before the victim reaches 27 years of age or within three years of discovering the injury has been deleted, and new language has been inserted to indicate that such actions may be initiated at any time.

Additionally, the bill clarifies the definition of "childhood sexual abuse" and outlines the conditions under which claims against entities that may have been negligent in preventing such abuse can be revived, even if the statute of limitations has expired. The amendments also remove previous provisions that allowed claims to be filed only under specific circumstances related to the perpetrator's admissions or convictions. Overall, this legislation seeks to provide greater access to justice for survivors of childhood sexual abuse by removing legal barriers that previously limited their ability to seek redress.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 27-2-216
SB0312_1(1): 27-2-216
SB0312_1(2): 27-2-216
SB0312_1(3): 27-2-216
SB0312_1(4): 27-2-216
SB0312_1(5): 27-2-216
SB0312_1: 27-2-216