H.R. 5560 — Statutes of Limitation for Child Sexual Abuse Reform Act

This section sets forth seven congressional findings concerning child sexual abuse and child sex trafficking, including its prevalence (affecting an estimated 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 20 boys), underreporting (nearly 90% of victims never report to authorities; average disclosure age over 52 years old), over 19,000 reports received by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in 2022, and the need for extended statutes of limitations to enable victims to seek justice.

This section adds to the eligibility requirements for states to receive Children's Justice Act grants under the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA)—which assist states in improving the multidisciplinary investigation and prosecution of child abuse and neglect cases, including child sexual abuse and exploitation—by requiring states to eliminate civil and criminal statutes of limitations for child sexual abuse, exploitation, and sex trafficking and to adopt laws reviving previously time-barred civil claims for such offenses. It further defines "child sexual abuse and exploitation," for this purpose, to include an act or failure to act by a parent, caretaker, or any other person.

This section authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to states eligible under section 107 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) (42 U.S.C. 5106c)—which supports state programs to improve child abuse and neglect assessment, investigation, and prosecution—for states that enact one or more specified reforms to civil and criminal statutes of limitations applicable to child sexual abuse, exploitation, and sex trafficking. The reforms are (1) eliminating all state civil statutes of limitations for related claims against perpetrators, individuals, and entities; (2) eliminating all state criminal statutes of limitations for felony and misdemeanor sex crimes against children and related inchoate offenses (i.e., attempt, conspiracy, solicitation, and aiding and abetting); and (3) reviving previously time-barred civil claims for at least a two-year period or until the victim reaches age 55, whichever is longer. Grants are allocated as 25% of funds to states achieving one reform, 35% to states achieving two reforms, and 40% to states achieving all three reforms, in addition to existing CAPTA grants, with $20 million authorized annually for FY2026 through FY2033.