Missouri House lawmakers have signed off on a major change to how long survivors of childhood sexual abuse can wait before suing, backing a bill that would push many civil deadlines roughly a decade farther out. The measure sailed through the chamber by a wide margin and now heads across the building to the state Senate.
What HB1664 Would Change
According to the bill text on the Missouri House website, HB1664, sponsored by Rep. Brian Seitz of Branson, would let survivors bring civil actions until they turn 41, which is 20 years after they reach 21, or within three years of discovering that an injury or illness was caused by childhood sexual abuse, whichever comes later. The bill also says nondisclosure agreements used in childhood sexual abuse settlements would be unenforceable and lists an effective date of August 28, 2026.
House Floor Debate And Vote
Lawmakers approved the measure in a 95–12 roll call, with 39 members marked present after debate that blended bipartisan support for survivors with worries about related tort changes. Rep. Brian Seitz described the bill as a compromise, saying, “The perfect fix is no statute of limitations for victims of sexual abuse,” and adding, “we will do what we can at this time,” as reported by Spectrum News St. Louis.
Senate Push To Eliminate The Deadline
In the upper chamber, a separate Senate committee has advanced a bill sponsored by Sen. Brad Hudson that would strip out any civil deadline for childhood sexual abuse claims and could allow retroactive lawsuits if voters sign off on a constitutional change, according to reporting by KY3. That Senate proposal has not yet reached the full chamber, and sponsors have said a voter-facing fix may ultimately be needed.
Why Advocates Say The Change Is Needed
Survivors and attorneys argue that tight filing windows leave many people without a civil path because they often do not connect childhood trauma to later mental health diagnoses until long after the abuse. Kayla Onder, a St. Louis-based attorney who leads a sexual abuse practice, told The Independent that “most survivors don’t come forward until decades after their abuse.” Child USA’s SOL tracker lists Missouri among the states with relatively short civil deadlines, a point advocates leaned on in testimony at the Capitol.
Pushback From Insurers And Legal Questions
Insurance groups warned lawmakers that the package could expose non-culprit parties to liability and raise costs for organizations that are not perpetrators, an argument repeated in committee hearings. St. Louis Public Radio reported that insurance lobby concerns came alongside debate over a companion proposal that would shrink the personal injury statute of limitations from five years to three, a change that drew fire from some Democrats.
What Happens Next
With the House vote in the books, HB1664 now moves onto the Senate calendar. If the Senate signs off and the governor approves it, the changes would take effect August 28, 2026, per the Missouri House bill text. If the Senate instead rallies around Sen. Brad Hudson’s broader plan to erase the civil deadline altogether, lawmakers say the question could ultimately land before voters, according to KY3.
