California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a law aimed at giving alleged sexual assault victims at the University of Southern California more time to file lawsuits.
The law responds to allegations by hundreds of women that former USC gynecologist Dr. George Tyndall sexually assaulted them during examinations. Tyndall was arrested in June and is charged with molesting 16 patients. He has denied wrongdoing.
While hundreds of women have reported misconduct by Tyndall, some claims fall outside of California’s statue of limitations. The law Newsom announced signing Wednesday gives them a one-year window to decide whether to sue.
The law applies to claims of more than $250,000 arising from sexual assault or inappropriate behavior by a physician at a student health center between Jan. 1, 1988, and Jan. 1, 2017.