This bill amends New Jersey law regarding the statute of limitations for human trafficking cases by eliminating the statute of limitations for criminal prosecutions and extending the statute of limitations for civil actions. Specifically, it allows for criminal prosecutions of human trafficking offenses to be initiated at any time, removing the previous five-year limit. For civil cases, the bill establishes that victims can file a lawsuit within 10 years of the offense, within 10 years after turning 18 if they were minors at the time of the injury, or within two years of discovering the injury, whichever is later.

Additionally, the bill includes provisions that toll the statute of limitations during any period when the plaintiff is under a disability, such as mental incapacity or hospitalization for mental illness. It also stipulates that if a defendant has coerced a plaintiff into delaying the filing of a suit through intimidation or fraud, they cannot claim that the statute of limitations has expired. These changes aim to enhance protections for victims of human trafficking and align state law with federal standards.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 2C:13-8.1