H.R. 7467 expands legal rights for victims of sexual abuse and human trafficking by creating new civil lawsuits and removing time limits for filing claims. The bill allows victims of sexual abuse crimes and human trafficking to sue perpetrators (and those who financially benefit from these crimes) in federal court for damages and attorney's fees. Currently, these civil claims face time limits—typically 10 years after the crime or 10 years after a minor victim reaches age 18—but the bill eliminates these deadlines entirely for the most serious offenses: sexual abuse offenses under sections 2241-2243, transportation for sexual activity under sections 2421-2423, and human trafficking under sections 1589-1591. Civil lawsuits must pause if a related criminal case is ongoing. The bill applies immediately to any pending claims and includes a one-year lookback period allowing victims whose claims were previously dismissed due to time limits to refile them. No new funding is specified in the legislation.
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