HB 1479: Civil practice; certain alleged acts by clergy members; extend statute of limitations

Under current Georgia law, people who were sexually assaulted or abused by a clergy member as adults have a limited window to file a civil lawsuit before the statute of limitations runs out. This bill, called Hayle's Law, creates a new Code section (O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33.2) that extends that window for claims of sexual assault, sexual battery, or improper sexual conduct by a clergy member, or abuse arising from a pastoral counseling or spiritual authority relationship, when the victim was an adult at the time. Under the bill, a lawsuit could be filed within 15 years of the alleged conduct, or within five years of when the plaintiff realized the abuse caused them injury, whichever is later. It also lets victims sue the church or organization that employed the clergy member for things like negligent hiring or covering up abuse, if that organization controlled the relationship. Finally, it revives claims that would otherwise already be time-barred, letting them be filed within two years of July 1, 2026, as long as they arose on or before June 30, 2026.

• Creates a new statute of limitations for adult victims of sexual assault, battery, or improper sexual conduct by clergy members, allowing suits within 15 years of the conduct or 5 years of discovering the injury, whichever is later.
• Defines 'clergy member' broadly to include licensed and unlicensed ministers, pastors, priests, rabbis, imams, and anyone who provides pastoral counseling or spiritual guidance in a relationship of trust.
• Allows victims to sue the religious or other entity that employed or supervised the clergy member for negligent hiring, negligent supervision, negligent retention, failure to warn, or concealment.
• Requires courts to make a pretrial finding within six months of filing on when the discovery of the alleged abuse occurred, if the suit relies on the five-year discovery window.
• Revives previously time-barred claims arising on or before June 30, 2026, allowing them to be filed within two years starting July 1, 2026.

Adult survivors of alleged sexual abuse by clergy members, religious organizations and other entities that employ or oversee clergy or spiritual counselors, and Georgia courts, which would handle both new claims and revived older claims under the extended deadlines.

The bill would let people who were sexually abused as adults by a religious leader bring lawsuits many years later than current law allows, and would open a two-year window for previously expired claims to be refiled, potentially exposing churches and similar organizations to new liability.

• Section 1 names the bill 'Hayle's Law' as its official short title.
• Section 2 adds O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33.2, defining 'clergy member,' 'entity,' and 'pastoral counseling or spiritual authority relationship.'
• Subsection (b) sets the filing deadline at the later of 15 years from the alleged conduct or 5 years from when the plaintiff discovered the resulting injury.
• Subsection (b)(2) requires a pretrial evidentiary finding on the discovery date within six months of filing when the five-year discovery rule is used.
• Subsection (c) allows plaintiffs to also sue an entity connected to the clergy member for negligent hiring, supervision, retention, failure to warn, or concealment.
• Subsection (d) revives claims otherwise barred by the statute of limitations if they arose on or before June 30, 2026, allowing them to be filed within two years of July 1, 2026.

1. 2026-03-04House Second Readers (House)
2. 2026-03-03House First Readers (House)
3. 2026-02-26House Hopper (House)

• Gabriel Sanchez (D, HD-042)Primary sponsor
• Stacey Evans (D, HD-057)
• Lisa Campbell (D, HD-035)
• Scott Holcomb (D, HD-101)
• Mary Ann Santos (D, HD-117)
• Tanya Miller (D, HD-062)

• clergy sexual abuse
• statute of limitations
• civil lawsuits
• religious organizations
• sexual assault survivors