Reform Legislation to Expand Statutes of Limitation for Reporting Sex Crimes

According to this New York Times article, “I Want to Be Heard: Adult Victims Demand New Rights,” many states have expanded their statute of limitation for both adult and child sex crimes. States like Montana have opened one year windows for suits against institutions who harbored sex abusers and New York is considering legislation for opening a one year window for old adult sex crime accusations. New York is expanding on their previously legislated “look back window” for child sex abuse they passed into law last January. The Adult Survivors Act of California recently expanded the law for allowing childhood sexual assault victims more time to report. Nebraska has eliminated the statute of limitations for sex trafficking and child pornography.

According to Child USA, states have passed 23 new laws and have introduced 41 laws to expand the statutes of limitation in sex crime cases. Here’s a summary of 2019 Child Sexual Abuse Statutes of Limitations reform legislation by state from Child USA.