Rhode Island Governor Daniel J. McKee has signed into law sweeping legislation that allows survivors of childhood sexual abuse, no matter when the abuse occurred, to sue their abusers and the institutions that enabled or concealed that abuse.

The new law establishes a two-year “revival window” that runs from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2028, during which survivors may file lawsuits against alleged perpetrators and institutions, such as the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence, the Mormon Church and other entities accused of failing to prevent abuse or covering up wrongful conduct. The two-year window, also known as a “lookback window,” temporarily lifts the statute of limitations of previously expired claims. All time-barred claims must be filed by June 30, 2028, or they may be forever barred.

The law was passed after, the Rhode Island Attorney General released a comprehensive report on March 4, 2026, of a multi-year investigation into clergy sexual abuse within the Diocese of Providence. The report identified approximately 75 clergy members with credible allegations involving more than 300 minor children and described patterns in which accused clergy were re-assigned and allegations were inconsistently reported to authorities. Lawmakers cited the findings as a key factor in advancing legislation to expand survivors’ ability to pursue civil claims. The list of accused priests from the Diocese of Providence named in the Attorney General’s report includes:

  1. Father Joseph Abruzzese
  2. Monsignor John Allard
  3. Brother Roger C. Argencourt
  4. Father Daniel Azzarone
  5. Brother Robert (aka Peter) Barnes
  6. Father Francis Xavier Battel
  7. Father Roger Belhumeur
  8. Father Mario Bordignon
  9. Father Dennis Brodeur
  10. Father James Campbell
  11. Father Robert Carpentier
  12. Brother Vincent Cavanaugh
  13. Father Paul Charland
  14. Father Eugene Corbesero
  15. Father John Crafton
  16. Father Joseph D’Angelo
  17. Monsignor Anthony DeAngelis
  18. Father Normand Demers
  19. Father Alfred Desroisiers
  20. Father Paul Desroisier
  21. Father Louis Diogo
  22. Father Charles Dolan
  23. Father John Doran
  24. Monsignor Louis Dunn
  25. Monsignor Michael W. Dziob
  26. Brother Raphael Edes
  27. Father John Joseph Keough Feeney
  28. Father Oscar Ferland
  29. Father John Ferry
  30. Father Kevin Fisette
  31. Father Edmund Fitzgerald
  32. Father John H. Flanagan
  33. Deacon Laurence Gagnon
  34. Father William Gillooly
  35. Father Timothy Gorton
  36. Father Rene Guertin
  37. Father Richard Holden
  38. Father James Jackson
  39. Father Edward Kelley
  40. Father Joseph Gerard Raymond Lacasse
  41. Father Michael LaMountain
  42. Father Norman Leboeuf
  43. Father Paul Henry Leech
  44. Father Roland Lepire
  45. Father Alfred Lonardo
  46. Father Philip Magaldi
  47. Father Thomas Dente Kofi Manu
  48. Father Robert Marcantonio
  49. Father Joseph McCra
  50. Father Robert McIntyre
  51. Father Barry Meehan
  52. Father Richard Meglio
  53. Father Adrien Menard
  54. Father Edmond Micarelli
  55. Father William O’Connell
  56. Father John Francis O’Neil
  57. Father William O’Neill
  58. Father John Petrocelli
  59. Father John Powers
  60. Father Hugh Rafferty
  61. Father William Raiche
  62. Father Paul F. Reynolds
  63. Father Joseph Rocha
  64. Deacon Edward Sadowski
  65. Father Alfred Santagata
  66. Father Francis Santilli
  67. Father Peter Scagnelli
  68. Father James Silva
  69. Father John Gerard Brendan Smyth
  70. Father William Tanguay
  71. Father Peter L. Tedeschi
  72. Father John Tormey
  73. Father Paul Tousignant
  74. Father Biagio Samuel Turillo
  75. Father Armand Ventre

“Survivors have waited years, often decades, for this moment. The passage of this bill marks a significant shift for abuse survivors across Rhode Island, recognizing what we know from years of litigation: trauma from abuse often delays disclosure, and justice should not be bound by arbitrary time limits,” said Jonathan Orent, an attorney who represents survivors of sexual abuse, and is based in Motley Rice’s Rhode Island office.

For many people, particularly those who disclosed abuse years or decades after it occurred, prior statutes of limitation prevented legal action. The lookback window reflects a broader recognition that delayed disclosure is common in cases involving childhood sexual abuse. With this law, Rhode Island joins a growing number of states that have reopened civil claims for a defined period.

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Key Deadlines & Eligibility

At the center of the legislation is a two-year revival window, providing a limited opportunity to file civil lawsuits:

  • Window opens: July 1, 2026
  • Window closes: June 30, 2028

This legislation temporarily lifts statute of limitations barriers for previously ineligible.

Who may be eligible

During this period, survivors may be eligible to bring claims that were previously time-barred. The law applies broadly to claims involving:

  • Religious institutions (including churches)
  • Schools and educational programs
  • Youth organizations and similar entities
  • Privately operated detention centers
  • Supervisors or decision-makers who allegedly failed to act

Claims against institutions

Importantly, the law also permits claims against non-perpetrator entities, including those alleged to have:

  • Known about abuse
  • Failed to intervene
  • Concealed misconduct

Important consideration

Because the revival window is strictly time-limited, individuals considering a claim should evaluate their legal options and connect with an attorney well before the June 30, 2028, filing deadline.

Motley Rice experience in sexual abuse litigation

Motley Rice attorneys have experience representing survivors in complex institutional sexual abuse litigation involving religious organizations, youth programs, and other entities entrusted with the care of children. The firm has pursued claims alleging institutions failed to supervise, ignored warning signs and actively concealed misconduct, with a focus on holding institutions accountable for systemic failures rather than isolated acts. This work has included cases involving Catholic clergy abuse, litigation against youth organizations such as the Boy Scouts of America, LDS church-related abuse, as well as cases arising in other organizational settings where policies, practices and leadership decisions allegedly allowed abuse to occur or continue.

Key Deadlines & Eligibility

Who may be eligible

Claims against Institutions

Important consideration

Motley Rice experience in sexual abuse litigation