WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — A bill that would eliminate the statute of limitations for victims of child sex abuse now heads to President Joe Biden’s desk after its passage Tuesday in the House.
According to The Hill, the measure calls for removing the statute of limitations for minors filing civil claims relating to a number of sex abuse crimes, including forced labor, sex trafficking, sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children.
The Senate passed the legislation, officially called the Eliminating Limits to Justice for Child Sex Abuse Victims Act of 2022, by unanimous consent in March.
The bill was introduced in October of 2021 by U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), who applauded the news.
“The science of trauma is clear: it often takes years for victims to come forward,” Durbin said. “Our bipartisan bill honors the basic notions of justice for survivors. By signing it into law, we can finally help survivors have their day in court and a moment of healing—when they are ready.”
“The statute of limitations for sexual abuse offenses should never prohibit young survivors from getting the justice they deserve,” Blackburn said. “The bipartisan effort to eliminate the civil child sexual abuse statute of limitations is a critical step to guarantee survivors their day in court.”
NewsNation affiliate The Hill contributed to this report.