Utah House passes bill removing civil time limits for claims against child‑abuse perpetrators

Representative Ivory, sponsor of House Bill 277, told the House on March 2 that the measure removes the civil statute of limitations for suits against a perpetrator of child sexual abuse and ‘‘takes the very first small step to protect children and afford them relief.’’ The House adopted Amendment 7 to clarify the change applies only to perpetrators and not to non‑perpetrators, then passed the bill as amended by voice and roll call.

Why it matters: Supporters said many survivors take decades to report abuse and that current limits — age 18 plus four years or discovery rules — deny remedies to people who come forward as adults. Representative Ivory cited materials showing it often takes victims until about age 40 to report, saying the bill ‘‘allows victims to heal on their own time.’’

What supporters said: In floor debate, Representative Ivory framed the bill as correcting Utah’s record on protecting child‑abuse victims and argued the financial and human costs of abuse are vast. Representative Romero and others urged colleagues to support the measure; Romero said most child abuse is committed by someone known to the victim, not a stranger.

Key procedural steps and vote: Amendment 7 (in Representative Ivory’s name) was moved and declared in order; after limited questioning — including clarification that civil suits do not require a criminal conviction and proceed on a preponderance of the evidence — the House adopted the amendment. Final passage, as amended, was recorded as 74 yea, 0 nay. The bill will be transmitted to the Senate for consideration.

Next steps: The sponsor noted that, if the bill receives a two‑thirds vote where required for an immediate effective date, it would take effect immediately on signature; otherwise, standard effective‑date rules apply. The bill as passed narrows the change to perpetrators only and preserves existing rules for non‑perpetrators (age‑plus‑four or discovery).