The Child Victims Act, a bill that would make it easier for sex abuse victims to file lawsuits, passed the state Senate in Albany on Monday by a vote of 63-0.

The act would extend the statute of limitations for sexual assault charges and create a one-year window for victims to file lawsuits, regardless of how long ago the abuse happened.

Victims could press criminal charges until age 28, a five-year increase from the state's current law. Civil suits could be brought until the victim turns 55.

The most controversial part of the bill is a one-year look-back period, giving victims until this time next year to file civil charges, regardless of how long ago the abuse occurred.

The Assembly followed suit, passing the bill 130-3. It had passed the state Assembly for the last 13 years but did not pass the state Senate while it was under Republican control during that window.

State Senator Cathy Young (R-Olean), introduced the Child Victims Fund to help all victims, including those not abused solely by members of an institution with what she calls “deep pockets.”  She said, to this point, the measure has fallen on deaf ears.

A statement from New York state Catholic Bishops, including Buffalo and Rochester, reads:

"We pray that passage of the Child Victims Act brings some measure of healing to all survivors by offering them a path of recourse and reconciliation. The legislation now recognizes that child sexual abuse is an evil not just limited to one institution, but a tragic societal ill that must be addressed in every place where it exists.

Sadly, we in the Church know all too well the devastating toll of abuse on survivors, their families, and the extended community. Every Catholic diocese in New York has taken important steps to support survivors of child sexual abuse, including the implementation of reconciliation and compensation programs. We are proud that these pioneering programs have not only helped more than a thousand survivors of clergy abuse in New York, but have also become a model for how to help survivors in other states and in other institutions.

Now, we hope that this same type of survivor-centered approach, that puts the emphasis on healing, is available to all survivors, regardless of when the abuse occurred, or who their abuser was­ whether it was a priest, a coach, a teacher, a doctor, or, as is all too common, a family member. We have long called for strengthening the Child Victims Act and will continue to advocate for the elimination of the criminal statute of limitations, compensations programs for those who prefer it to litigation, and mandatory safe environment training for anyone who works with children.

We thank the brave survivors who have told their stories of abuse in every sector of society. Their witness has moved us all. We renew our commitment to combatting the monstrous crime of childhood sexual abuse and helping all survivors find recourse and reconciliation as they heal."