Informing the Legislature that on July 9, 2024, the Governor signed the following bill into law: SB2601 HD1 CD1 (ACT 250).

This bill, known as Act 250, expands the time limit for victims of childhood sexual abuse to file civil lawsuits against their abusers in Hawaii. It directly affects survivors who were abused as minors and allows them to seek legal remedies for injuries discovered years after the abuse occurred. For cases of abuse committed on or after July 1, 2024, the law extends the filing deadline to thirty-two years after the victim turns eighteen or five years after they discover their psychological injury, whichever happens later. Additionally, the legislation requires legal entities sued under this act to provide training on trauma-informed responses to abuse allegations. The bill explicitly states that these new rules apply only to future cases and do not revive lawsuits that have already expired.