Bipartisan effort seeks to extend Nevada statute of limitations for victims of sexual abuse

CARSON CITY — Victims who were sexually abused as children may get more time to sue their perpetrators.

Assembly Bill 145 would extend the Nevada statute of limitations for victims to sue by another decade, from 10 years to 20 years. Time starts applying toward the statute of limitations after a victim turns 18 years old or discovers an injury was caused by the abuse, whichever comes later.

The bipartisan bill is sponsored by Assemblywoman Lisa Krasner, R-Reno, and Speaker Pro Tempore Irene Bustamante Adams, D-Las Vegas.

“This is an epidemic, not just in our state but across the United States,” Krasner said in a press conference Thursday. “We need to protect children.”

Krasner said sexual abuse is a non-partisan issue, and she pointed to high-profile national cases where the statute of limitations was an issue, including cases involving former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky and the alleged sexual abuse of young females training with USA Gymnastics coaches.

“Current civil statute only allows children 10 years to actually come forward and confront their accuser and hold them responsible for what they did to that child,” Krasner said. “It takes a child longer to get the courage to come forward and confront their accuser.”

The bill also would extend to 20 years the statute of limitations for victims to sue if they appeared in pornographic material while under 16 years old.

The current statute of limitations is three years after turning 18 or after a court verdict in a criminal case, whichever is later.

The proposal will be heard Wednesday in the Assembly Judiciary Committee.

Bustamante Adams sponsored a bill in 2015 that became law and changed the statute of limitations for bringing forward rape charges for criminal prosecution from four years to 20 years.

Contact Ben Botkin at bbotkin@reviewjournal.com or 775-461-0661. Follow @BenBotkin1 on Twitter.