HB 2022
AN ACT relating to elimination of limitations periods for suits for
89th Regular Session
Jan 14, 2025 - Jun 2, 2025 • Session ended
Awaiting Committee Assignment
Bill filed, pending referral to House committee
Committee
Not yet assigned
Fiscal Note
Not available
What This Bill Does
Eliminates the statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits involving specific sexual offenses against children and disabled individuals. It allows survivors to file civil lawsuits at any time for injuries resulting from sexual assault, continuous sexual abuse, child trafficking, compelling prostitution, and indecency with a child. The law applies retroactively, meaning survivors can pursue legal action for past abuse even if the previous statute of limitations had expired.
Subject Areas
Bill Text
relating to elimination of limitations periods for suits for personal injury arising from certain offenses against a child or BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 16.003(a), Civil Practice and Remedies Code, is amended to read as follows: (a) Except as provided by Sections 16.010, 16.0031, [and] 16.0045, and 16.0046, a person must bring suit for trespass for injury to the estate or to the property of another, conversion of personal property, taking or detaining the personal property of another, personal injury, forcible entry and detainer, and forcible detainer not later than two years after the day the cause of action SECTION 2. Section 16.0045(c), Civil Practice and Remedies Code, is amended to read as follows: (c) In an action for injury resulting in death arising as a result of conduct described by Subsection [(a) or] (b), the cause of action accrues on the death of the injured person. SECTION 3. Section 16.0045(a), Civil Practice and Remedies Code, is redesignated as Section 16.0046, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, and amended to read as follows: Sec. 16.0046. NO LIMITATIONS PERIOD. [(a)] A person may [must] bring a suit for personal injury at any time [not later than 30 years after the day the cause of action accrues] if the injury arises as a result of conduct that violates: (1) Section 22.011(a)(2), Penal Code (sexual assault (2) Section 22.021(a)(1)(B), Penal Code (aggravated (3) Section 21.02, Penal Code (continuous sexual abuse of young child or disabled individual); (4) Section 20A.02(a)(7)(A), (B), (C), (D), or (H) or Section 20A.02(a)(8), Penal Code, involving an activity described by Section 20A.02(a)(7)(A), (B), (C), (D), or (H) or sexual conduct with a child or disabled individual trafficked in the manner described by Section 20A.02(a)(7), Penal Code (certain sexual (5) Section 43.05(a)(2) or (3), Penal Code (compelling prostitution by a child or disabled individual); or (6) Section 21.11, Penal Code (indecency with a SECTION 4. (a) Except as provided by this section, the changes in law made by this Act apply to a cause of action that accrues on or after the effective date of this Act. (b) Except as provided by this section, the changes in law made by this Act apply retroactively to a cause of action arising out of child sexual abuse that occurred before the effective date of this Act, regardless of any statute of limitations in effect at the time the cause of action accrued. (c) The changes in law made by this Act do not affect a (1) that became final before the effective date of (2) for which the limitations period applicable to the cause of action before the effective date of this Act was not SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
Bill Sponsors
Legislators who authored or co-sponsored this bill.
Bill History
Bill filed: AN ACT relating to elimination of limitations periods for suits for
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