TOPEKA – On May 25, 2023, Governor Laura Kelly ceremonially signed bipartisan Senate Substitute for House Bill 2127, which makes it easier for victims of childhood sexual assault to pursue justice, alongside bipartisan legislators and advocates. This bill removes the statute of limitations for the criminal prosecution of these crimes and extends the allowable time frame for civil lawsuits involving child sex crimes.
“I am proud to ceremonially sign this bipartisan bill that gives survivors the time they need to process these traumatic events and pursue legal action against their abusers,” Governor Kelly said. “This will help get child predators off the streets, make our communities safer, and protect other children from becoming victims.”
This bill was a bipartisan effort passed with unanimous support from both sides of the aisle in the Kansas legislature.
“It has been a tough and long-fought battle, but thanks to the courageous survivors who came forward to share their stories, this important piece of legislation is finally law in the state of Kansas,” Senator Cindy Holscher said. “This is breakthrough legislation that will keep our children and communities safer by permitting our state to get more predators off our streets, while building a foundation to allow more survivors of childhood sexual violence to pursue justice. Healing from this kind of trauma can take years to achieve, and I’m pleased the legislature came together unanimously to acknowledge that difficult process and to find a solution to take a much-needed first step to address the needs of survivors.”
“This bill is good news for all Kansans, but especially for the abuse survivors who persevered through the legislative session to make their voices heard by sharing their own personal experiences,” Representative Mark Schreiber said. “Their acts of courage are admired, and this bill is a good step to ensuring they get justice they deserve. Thank you to my colleagues who assured this bill passed with unanimous support from both sides of the aisle and in both the House and Senate.”
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