According to the Facebook page of a group called “Yes SB 131,” this afternoon around 2 PM local time, the California Senate wasted no time in approving the Assembly’s amendments to SB 131, the bill that would temporarily lift the statute of limitations for civil cases for certain victims of sexual abuse in California.
The vote, which passed by a healthy 21-8 margin, means that the bill now goes to Governor Jerry Brown, who has 12 days to sign the bill, approve the bill without signing, or veto the bill. If he were to veto the bill, it could be overridden by a two-thirds majority in both the Assembly and the Senate.
Given the margin in the Senate, it is likely that any veto by Brown, which is not expected, would be swiftly overridden.
With the passing of this bill, there will be no statute of limitations for victims of sexual abuse for actions that occur after January 1, 2014. In addition, victims of sexual abuse, who are 48 or older as of Jan. 1, 2014, can sue their abuser or other parties they believe to be liable, during a 1-year window. Also, victims who are 26 as of Jan. 1, 2014, will be able to file for damages until they are 48, or within 5 years from the date that a professional makes a diagnoses that a victim has been psychologically damaged by abuse as a youth.
To be clear, this bill refers specifically to civil remedies, and not criminal.
