NASHVILLE (TN)
WBIR-TV, Ch. 10-NBC [Knoxville TN]
April 10, 2025
By Ainslee Raasch
The bill extends the length of time for both criminal prosecution and civil action to 30 years after a survivor becomes 18 years old.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Senate unanimously approved a bill on Thursday that would extend the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse felonies. It is now headed to Governor Bill Lee’s desk for his signature.
The bill extends the length of time that a survivor of child sexual abuse can file a lawsuit against their abuser. Currently, offenders can only face prosecution for crimes like rape, sexual battery or solicitation of a minor for up to 25 years after a survivor turns 18 years old. They can also only face civil lawsuits for those crimes up to 15 years after a survivor turns 18 years old.
If the proposal becomes law, sex offenders would be able to be prosecuted for 30 years after survivors turn 18 years old. Those survivors would also be able to file civil lawsuits against offenders for up to 30 years after becoming 18 years old.
The unanimous vote took less than 10 seconds in the Tennessee Senate, with no one offering questions or objections. The bill was originally filed for introduction in February 2025, with Representative Jake McCalmon (R-Franklin) sponsoring HB 0973 and Senator Jack Johnson (R-Franklin) sponsoring SB 1070.
The bill would apply to child sexual abuse committed on or after July 1 and take effect on that same date. Throughout its time in the legislature, no lawmaker voted against it