California’s AB 250: Extending Justice for Survivors of Sexual Assault

California has taken another major step toward supporting survivors of sexual assault. On October 13, 2025, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 250, authored by Majority Leader Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters), officially extending the window for victims to seek justice against both perpetrators and institutions that covered up abuse.

If you have been impacted by sexual assault or sexual abuse, please call McGrath Kavinoky LLP to discuss your situation. There is no cost or obligation. You will only speak to a female attorney when you call.  We are currently helping hundreds of women impacted by Cedars Sinai Hospital and OB-GYN Dr. Barry J. Brock. If you were a patient of Dr. Barry Brock, we want to hear from you.

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What AB 250 Does

According to the full bill text published on LegiScan, AB 250 amends Section 340.16 of the Code of Civil Procedure to revive previously time-barred sexual assault claims and extend the statute of limitations for survivors.

Key provisions include:

• Revival Period (2026–2027): Survivors whose claims would otherwise be barred before January 1, 2026, can now file until December 31, 2027.
  
• Institutional Accountability: The bill expands liability to entities and their agents who engaged in a “cover-up or attempted cover-up” of prior sexual assaults.
  
• Separate Claims: If one defendant fails to meet the cover-up criteria, that doesn’t block revived claims against other parties — including the perpetrator.
  

The measure ensures survivors are not silenced by procedural deadlines, allowing courts to hear claims that were previously expired under older laws like 2019’s AB 218.

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Why It Matters

In Aguiar-Curry’s official press release (source), the Majority Leader explained that AB 250 continues the Legislature’s commitment to justice reform for victims of sexual assault — especially in workplaces and institutions that shield abusers.

She emphasized that the bill “recognizes how trauma delays reporting” and closes gaps left after earlier reforms, providing a new two-year opportunity for victims to pursue civil damages against individuals and complicit organizations.

The press release also linked AB 250 with AB 464, a companion bill focused on protecting incarcerated survivors assaulted by correctional staff, signaling a broader state effort to eliminate systemic cover-ups.

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Legislative Journey

Tracking data from FastDemocracy and TrackBill confirms that AB 250 was introduced on January 15, 2025, progressed through both the Assembly and Senate with majority support, and was chaptered as Statute 682 of 2025.

It was originally co-sponsored by victim advocacy organizations, trauma specialists, and women’s rights groups who testified about the long-lasting effects of assault and institutional neglect.  McGrath Kavinoky has supported this legislation and applauds its passage.

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The Broader Context

The reform updates California’s legal timeline for sexual assault survivors first expanded under AB 218 (2019), which opened a three-year revival window (2020–2022). AB 250 extends that progress — both chronologically and conceptually — by making clear that cover-ups by organizations are a core injustice requiring civil accountability.

This approach mirrors national trends: states like New York and Maine have enacted similar revival windows, empowering victims whose claims were once deemed too old to prosecute.

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Looking Ahead

AB 250 reflects California’s ongoing evolution toward trauma-informed justice. By offering survivors another chance to file civil claims — and by penalizing cover-ups — the state acknowledges that time should not protect abusers or their enablers.

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