Gov. Andrew Cuomo was scheduled Thursday to sign the Child Victims Act — a law that will make it easier for New Yorkers who were victims of sex abuse as kids to sue for damages as adults.
The bill, which passed both houses of the Legislature last month, extends the statute of limitations for reporting sex abuse and for filing lawsuits.
Versions of the measure were kicking around years, but the Catholic Church had opposed the measure until this year over potential costs incurred from massive litigation from cases brought against priests.
Under the new law, sex abuse victims can file criminal charges until they reach age 28 and civil cases until age 55.
They had been limited to age 23 in both instances.
Also, six months after the law takes effect, victims will have a one-year window to sue regardless of how far back an offense occurred.
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