The Rhode Island Senate is moving forward with legislation sponsored by Democratic Senator Mark McKenney to revive previously expired civil claims of sexual abuse against institutions such as the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence, after years of committee-level delays.

The Rhode Island Senate unanimously approved legislation that would allow previously time-barred sex-abuse claims against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence and other institutions to proceed through a temporary legal window. The bill creates a two-year period for survivors to file lawsuits that would otherwise have been closed by statutes of limitations.