HR5560-119

What This Bill Does

This bill, called the "Statutes of Limitation for Child Sexual Abuse Reform Act," amends the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to encourage states to eliminate time limits for prosecuting and suing over child sexual abuse cases. It creates a federal grant program to incentivize states to reform their statutes of limitations laws.

Who Benefits and How

Child sexual abuse survivors are the primary beneficiaries. They would gain the ability to pursue legal action against their abusers regardless of when the abuse occurred, since many victims do not come forward until decades later (the bill notes the average age of disclosure is 52). Law enforcement agencies would also benefit from additional federal funding to investigate and prosecute child sex crimes without being blocked by time limits.

Who Bears the Burden and How

State governments must implement significant legal reforms to their civil and criminal codes to qualify for federal grants, requiring legislative action and potential legal system changes. Perpetrators of child sexual abuse face increased legal consequences since they could no longer rely on statutes of limitations to avoid prosecution or civil liability for past crimes.

Key Provisions

• Amends the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to add elimination of statutes of limitations as a criteria for state grant eligibility
• Creates a tiered grant program: States receive 25% of funds for achieving 1 reform, 35% for 2 reforms, or 40% for achieving all 3 reforms
• Three target reforms: (1) eliminate civil statutes of limitations, (2) eliminate criminal statutes of limitations for all child sex crimes, and (3) revive previously time-barred civil claims for at least 2 years or until a victim reaches age 55
• Authorizes $20 million annually for fiscal years 2026 through 2033 ($160 million total)
• Expands definition of child sexual abuse and exploitation to include acts by any person, not just parents or caretakers