Democrats Introduce Bill to End Sex Trafficking Time Limits

Should statutes of limitations be eliminated to ensure justice or preserved to protect constitutional rights?

Published 17 hours ago·Updated 4 hours ago

Democrats Introduce Bill to End Sex Trafficking Time Limits

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Above: U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) at a news conference to introduce Virginia's Law on Feb. 10, 2026. Image credit: Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg/Getty Images

The Spin

Narrative A

Sexual predators have hidden behind wealth, power and the clock for far too long — banking on survivors staying silent while statutes of limitations shield abusers from accountability. Trauma delays disclosure, and justice cannot be held hostage to arbitrary calendars. Ending these time limits ensures that those who committed these crimes don't get to run out the clock on facing consequences.

Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández on X

Amber Woods @ Amber Speaks Up on X

Narrative B

This bill may be well-intentioned, but it could face challenges based on precedent. Previously, the Utah Supreme Court ruled such statutes violate due process by retroactively eliminating defendants' vested rights in expired limitation periods. And the U.S. Supreme Court in Stogner v. California held that reviving time-barred prosecutions violates the Ex Post Facto Clause, calling such retroactivity "unfair" and "dishonest."

Clausen Miller P.C.Prison Legal News