LDS Church Abuse Lawsuit in Rhode Island

Rhode Island's 2026 revival law applies to survivors abused as children in any institutional setting — including churches and religious youth programs such as those run by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Governor Dan McKee signed the legislation on June 11, 2026; it took effect July 1, 2026 and opened a two-year window, running through June 30, 2028, to revive previously time-barred childhood sexual abuse claims against institutions that knew about, concealed, or failed to prevent abuse.

The measure passed the Rhode Island Senate on June 3, 2026, in the wake of a 282-page Attorney General report on institutional abuse and cover-up in the Diocese of Providence — a template for how organizations across denominations have handled abuse allegations. Where a congregation, bishop, or youth program had notice of abuse and failed to act, the revival window lets a survivor bring a civil claim that the old deadline had barred. Rhode Island permits pseudonymous 'Doe' filings to protect survivor privacy.

The going-forward statute now runs 35 years from the abuse or 7 years from connecting an injury to it, whichever is later, measured from age 18. A confidential review is free and carries no obligation.