Rhode Island Civil Rights Law Amended To Allow Three-Year Statute of Limitations

BOSTON—Individuals in Rhode Island will now have up to three years to file a civil rights discrimination suit after state lawmakers voted Jan. 5 to override the governor’s veto of legislation expanding that time period beyond the old one-year statute of limitations.

Proponents of the legislation said the override is a victory for victims of discrimination. But opponents of the expanded statute of limitations called it a blow to employers that adds another expense to the cost of doing business in Rhode Island.

The Rhode Island Civil Rights Act was established in 1990. Until 2007, according to authors of the ...