Survivors, Advocates, Lawmakers Call on Assembly to Pass Urgent Fix to Adult Survivors Act + Child Victims Act
Coalition urges Assembly to pass necessary legislative fix to protect pending ASA and CVA cases from dismissal and eliminate barriers to justice.
ALBANY, NY (06/01/2026) (readMedia)-- On Tuesday, a coalition of survivors, advocates, and lawmakers will rally in Albany for a critical bill, A8635B/S9848 (Rosenthal/Salazar), that will allow survivors who sought justice under the Adult Survivors Act (ASA) or Child Victims Act (CVA) to have their day in court. The Senate passed the bill in May for the second year in a row, and the coalition is urging the Assembly to do the same before session ends.
Survivors suing the State or municipalities face heightened specificity requirements when filing a case in the Court of Claims, requirements, including providing specific details about the time, place, and damages of the abuse-requirements that do not apply to cases against private individuals or entities. After a March 2025 Court of Appeals decision upheld those heightened standards, nearly 1,500 ASA cases and 300 CVA cases were put at risk of dismissal. The State has already succeeded in dismissing some of them.
A8635B/S9848 would equalize the pleading requirements for suing public and private individuals or entities, apply retroactively to pending CVA and ASA cases in the Court of Claims, and eliminate these heightened requirements for future filings upon enactment. The bill would preserve access to justice that survivors deserve, consistent with a bill the Legislature already enacted last session for incarcerated survivors of abuse as part of the 2025 prison reform package.
| WHO: | Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal, prime bill sponsor. Michael Polenberg, vice president of government affairs, Safe Horizon. Chaplain Dr. Donna Hylton, founder/CEO, A Little Piece of Light Noah Batsheva, MSW, founder of Imani Safehouse, advocate, and survivor. Survivors and advocates. |
| WHAT: | A press conference calling on the Assembly to pass an urgent legislative fix to the Child Victims Act and Adult Survivors Act and protect survivors in New York. |
| WHEN: | Tuesday June 02, 2026 at 11:00AM Eastern Time (US & Canada) |
| WHERE: | Outside Senate Lobby (3rd Floor Stairs) Capitol Building New York |
| NOTES: |
|
Survivor Justice Coalition
jessica@pythiapublic.com
Recent News
- Environmental Justice Groups Tell Albany to Protect Their Communities by Reducing Plastic
- Survivors, Advocates, Lawmakers Call on Assembly to Pass Urgent Fix to Adult Survivors Act + Child Victims Act
- Plaintiffs Who Sued NYS Speak Out Against Gov's Attack on CLCPA
- ICYMI: SUNNY Act Passes NYS Legislature, Bringing Plug-In Solar One Step Closer To Becoming Law
- Plaintiffs Who Sued NYS Speak Out Against Gov's Attack on CLCPA
- BREAKING: SUNNY Act Passes NYS Legislature, Bringing Plug-In Solar One Step Closer To Becoming Law
- Appeals Court Delivers Blow to North Tonawanda Crypto Operation, Reinforces New York's Climate Law
- Plaintiffs Who Sued NYS Speak Out Against Gov's Attack on CLCPA
- ICYMI: Assembly Ways & Means Chair Says Plastic Reduction Bill Will Get a Vote
- Drew Warshaw, Home Care Workers & Consumers to Deliver 'The People's Audit' to Comptroller DiNapoli
...more