SPONSOR: Amato
COMMITTEE ACTION: Voted "Do Pass" by the Standing Committee on Children and Families by a vote of 15 to 0. Voted "Do Pass" by the Standing Committee on Rules-Administrative by a vote of 11 to 0.
This bill requires prosecutions for abuse or neglect of a child be commenced within 10 years of the victim's 18th birthday.
This bill is similar to HCS HB 401 (2025).
PROPONENTS: Supporters say that this bill gives victims the time to mature and that the wheels of justice are the slowest moving wheels there are. There is a significant gap in protection and proving physical abuse is much more difficult than sexual abuse. The current statute of limitations on non-sexual abuse is only three years, which ties the hands of prosecutors and law enforcement.
Testifying in person for the bill were Representative Amato; Edward C. Herwig Jr; Allen Coggins; Missouri Network of Child Advocacy Centers; and Arnie Dienoff.
OPPONENTS: There was no opposition voiced to the committee.
Written testimony has been submitted for this bill. The full written testimony and witnesses testifying online can be found under Testimony on the bill page on the House website.
Statutes affected: