NASHVILLE (TENNESSEE)
Nashville Tennessean
May 4, 2019
By Holly Meyer
A group of about 30 Catholic laypeople created a legislative wish-list that included tearing down the statutes of limitations for felony sex abuse crimes.
A bill that would extend the statute of limitations on child sexual abuse crimes in Tennessee is headed to the governor’s desk.
The Tennessee General Assembly passed the legislation Thursday, the final day of this year’s legislative session. It is expected to become law since Gov. Bill Lee said Thursday evening during a news conference that he has no plans to veto any bills that made it out of the state legislature.
Criminally, the changes to the statute of limitations include, among others:
The statute of limitations is eliminated if the victim is under 13 years of age at the time of the offense.
The statute of limitations is eliminated if the victim is between the ages of 13 and 17 at the time of the offense and reports the abuse within five years of turning 18.
If the 13- to 17-year-old victim does not report the abuse within five years of turning 18, the statute of limitations is extended to 25 years after they turn 18 years old. If the 25-year deadline passes, the prosecution must produce “admissible and credible evidence.”
The legislation also stiffens the penalties for those who intentionally fail to report them.
On the civil side, the legislation would extend the statute of limitations to 15 years after the victim turns 18.
The bill also would require admissible and credible evidence for civil actions filed against someone other than the accused if it is brought more than one year after the victim turns 18.
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