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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to elimination of limitations periods for suits for |
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personal injury arising from certain offenses against a child or |
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disabled individual. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 16.003(a), Civil Practice and Remedies |
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Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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(a) Except as provided by Sections 16.010, 16.0031, [and] |
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16.0045, and 16.0046, a person must bring suit for trespass for |
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injury to the estate or to the property of another, conversion of |
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personal property, taking or detaining the personal property of |
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another, personal injury, forcible entry and detainer, and forcible |
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detainer not later than two years after the day the cause of action |
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accrues. |
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SECTION 2. Section 16.0045(c), Civil Practice and Remedies |
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Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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(c) In an action for injury resulting in death arising as a |
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result of conduct described by Subsection [(a) or] (b), the cause of |
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action accrues on the death of the injured person. |
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SECTION 3. Section 16.0045(a), Civil Practice and Remedies |
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Code, is redesignated as Section 16.0046, Civil Practice and |
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Remedies Code, and amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 16.0046. NO LIMITATIONS PERIOD. [(a)] A person may |
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[must] bring a suit for personal injury against any party alleged to |
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have caused the injury at any time [not later than 30 years after |
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the day the cause of action accrues] if the injury arises as a |
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result of conduct that violates: |
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(1) Section 22.011(a)(2), Penal Code (sexual assault |
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of a child); |
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(2) Section 22.021(a)(1)(B), Penal Code (aggravated |
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sexual assault of a child); |
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(3) Section 21.02, Penal Code (continuous sexual abuse |
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of young child or disabled individual); |
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(4) Section 20A.02(a)(7)(A), (B), (C), (D), or (H) or |
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Section 20A.02(a)(8), Penal Code, involving an activity described |
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by Section 20A.02(a)(7)(A), (B), (C), (D), or (H) or sexual conduct |
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with a child or disabled individual trafficked in the manner |
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described by Section 20A.02(a)(7), Penal Code (certain sexual |
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trafficking); |
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(5) Section 43.05(a)(2) or (3), Penal Code (compelling |
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prostitution by a child or disabled individual); [or] |
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(6) Section 21.11, Penal Code (indecency with a |
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child); |
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(7) Section 21.12, Penal Code (improper relationship |
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between educator and student); |
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(8) Section 33.021, Penal Code (online solicitation of |
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a minor); |
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(9) Section 38.17, Penal Code (failure to stop or |
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report aggravated sexual assault of child); |
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(10) Section 43.25, Penal Code (sexual performance by |
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a child); |
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(11) Section 43.26, Penal Code (possession or |
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promotion of child pornography); |
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(12) Section 43.261, Penal Code (electronic |
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transmission of certain visual material depicting minor); or |
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(13) Section 43.262, Penal Code (possession or |
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promotion of lewd visual material depicting child). |
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SECTION 4. (a) Except as provided by this section, the |
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changes in law made by this Act apply to a cause of action that |
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accrues on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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(b) Except as provided by this section, a person may bring |
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an action described by Section 16.0046, Civil Practice and Remedies |
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Code, as redesignated and amended by this Act, that accrued before |
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the effective date of this Act not later than the second anniversary |
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of the effective date of this Act. |
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(c) The changes in law made by this Act do not affect a |
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judgment in litigation: |
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(1) that became final before the effective date of |
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this Act; and |
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(2) for which the limitations period applicable to the |
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cause of action before the effective date of this Act was not |
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determinative. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |