On Thursday, June 11th, Governor Dan McKee signed Senate Bill 2616 into law, giving survivors of child sex abuse an opportunity to seek justice in the court system. The new ‘window law’ temporarily removes the time limits from the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse. This creates a two-year window of time for survivors to file lawsuits that were previously time-barred. Lawsuits could include claims against abusers as well as the institutions that covered up the abuse and protected the offenders. The new law takes effect July 1st, 2026, and lasts until June 30, 2028.
“This bill is empowering victims of alleged abuse to stand up and seek justice. Many times it takes years, sometimes longer to process such a traumatic experience and time shouldn’t be against them,” – Governor Dan McKee
If you or someone you know was abused by clergy in Rhode Island, you are not alone.
The signing of this bill follows the recent release of the Rhode Island Attorney General’s report on clergy sexual abuse within the Diocese of Providence. The 284-page report identified over 39 clergy accused of child sexual abuse in the Diocese, over double the number of priests named on the Diocese of Providence’s credibly accused clergy list.
The report also revealed that there are nine accused individuals who have not been removed as clergy, only retired or suspended, and may be still receiving benefits from the Diocese.
If you have any questions regarding child sexual abuse or need additional resources, visit our questions and answers page.
We applaud the actions of Governor Dan McKee and everyone else who advocated for the passing of this law. It often takes survivors decades to tell someone about their abuse or report it to authorities. Survivors need and deserve to have time to come forward when it’s right for them.
We stand with all survivors in Rhode Island as they consider their options towards justice and healing. If you or someone you know was abused by clergy in the Diocese of Rhode Island, you are not alone.