New York Adult Survivors Act

Update: On May 24, 2022 the Adult Survivors Act was signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul.

Survivors and advocates in New York are hopeful that an act to extend the statute of limitations for sexual abuse claims will soon become law.

The Adult Survivors Act would offer a one-year window of opportunity to adult victims of sexual assault, abuse, or harassment to file a civil lawsuit against an individual or institution, even if the statute of limitations for any alleged crime has already run out.

The act grew out of a similar piece of legislation, the New York Child Victim’s Act, which became law in 2019 and gave victims of child sexual abuse an extension of time in which to bring a case against their abusers. That law also gave a one-year look-back window for sexual abuse survivors of any age to file suit against a person or institution, and that window was extended to August 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since that law’s passage, it is estimated that more than 10,000 lawsuits were filed by victims of sexual abuse.

The Adult Survivor’s Act was unanimously passed by the New York State Senate on April 26, 2022 but has yet to be voted upon by the New York State Assembly. Governor Kathy Hochul has voiced her willingness to sign the act into law. Victims and advocates urge all New Yorkers to contact their state assemblyperson before the current session ends on June 2nd, 2022 and voice their support.

At Martin, Harding, and Mazzotti, we are devoted to protecting your rights and to holding sexual abusers responsible for their actions. We are equipped to take on individuals, powerful organizations, school districts, institutions, and businesses responsible for allowing sexual abuse to occur. Act now. Don’t suffer in silence any longer. You can speak with our lawyers confidentially and discreetly, without any information being shared publicly. We will explain your options and help you decide if you should pursue a case and take the next steps in protecting your rights.