Maryland lawmakers have passed a bill to end the state’s statute limiting when civil lawsuits over child sex abuse can be filed against public and private entities.

Under the Child Victims Act of 2023, actions for damages arising out of alleged incidents of sexual abuse against minors may be filed at any time. Currently, Marylanders who say they were sexually abused as children can’t sue after they reach the age of 38.

The bill would go into effect October 1, 2023 and retroactively revive any action that was barred by the prior statutory period of limitations. It would not allow suits on behalf of alleged child sex abuse victims who are deceased.

The measure now goes to Gov. Wes Moore, who has said he will sign it.

Final agreement came just days after Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown released his agency’s report documenting a long history of…