U.S. Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) has proposed bipartisan legislation that would incentivize states to eliminate civil and criminal statutes of limitations in child abuse cases and authorize $20 million in grants for states that adopt specific reforms.
“Survivors of child sexual abuse often carry their pain in silence for decades. Too many are denied justice because the clock runs out before they are ready to speak,” Rep. Salazar said. “This bill says loud and clear: time will never protect predators, and the law will never fail survivors again.”
The congresswoman cosponsored the Statutes of Limitations for Child Sexual Abuse Reform Act, H.R. 5560, alongside bill sponsor U.S. Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA) to amend the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to incentivize states to eliminate civil and criminal statutes of limitations and revive time-barred civil claims for child abuse cases, according to the text of the bill.
“Child sexual abuse survivors should be able to come forward and seek justice without a deadline,” said Rep. Subramanyam. “We must take legislative steps to support survivors instead of upholding a system that works against them.”
Specifically, the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services would be able to make grants available to eligible states that eliminate all state civil statutes of limitations for claims of child sexual abuse, exploitation, and sex trafficking against perpetrators, other individuals, and public and private entities; and that eliminate all state criminal statutes of limitations for all felony and misdemeanor sex crimes against children, including sexual abuse, exploitation, and trafficking, among other provisions, the text says.
“I am proud to co-lead this bipartisan effort to give victims their day in court, make sure monsters who abuse children can never hide behind legal loopholes, and protect children across America,” said Rep. Salazar.
The Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, known as RAINN, supports H.R. 5560.