The bill aims to eliminate the statute of limitations for actions seeking damages due to childhood sexual abuse in New Mexico. It amends Section 37-1-30 NMSA 1978 by removing the previous requirements that limited the time frame for filing such actions, which included a deadline based on the victim's age or the date of disclosure to a healthcare provider. Instead, the bill allows individuals to commence legal action at any time against various entities, including private individuals and corporations, for damages related to childhood sexual abuse.

Additionally, the bill specifies that the provisions of Section 37-1-8 NMSA 1978 and any associated statutes of limitation will not apply to these cases. Importantly, the new law is retroactive, meaning it applies to all actions not currently pending, regardless of when the abuse occurred or whether the statute of limitations had previously expired. This change is intended to provide greater access to justice for survivors of childhood sexual abuse.

Statutes affected:
introduced version: 37-1-30
AF substitute: 37-1-30
JC substitute: 37-1-30