LANSING, Mich., May 20, 2025 — The Senate passed Senate Bills 257–261 today with bipartisan support. These bills are similar to House Bills 4482–87 of 2023, state Rep. Julie Brixie’s (D-Meridian Twp.) Justice for Survivors bill package that passed the House Criminal Justice Committee last term.
Michigan’s statute of limitations for criminal sexual conduct is one of the narrowest in the country at age 28, despite the fact that studies have shown the average age survivors of childhood sex abuse report what happened to them is age 52.
Michigan’s statute of limitations for these crimes was first extended in 2018 to allow survivors of Michigan State University doctor Larry Nassar an opportunity to seek justice. Prior to those reforms, the statute of limitations was only three years from the time the crime took place.
“The 2018 reforms were an important first step, but because they were prospective only, survivors of childhood sex abuse whose claims expired when they were still young children never had a fair opportunity to seek justice,” said Brixie. “Michigan’s narrow statute of limitations has failed survivors and harbored child predators for far too long.”
The Senate bills would bring Michigan’s statute of limitations closer to the average age of disclosure by extending it to age 42 or seven years from the time the crime is discovered, whichever is later. They also open a one-year revival window for survivors who have already missed their chance to come forward.
“Survivors are calling on us to give them a fair chance at seeking justice,” said Brixie. “I urge House Republicans to swiftly take these bills up in committee and pass them so that we can finally hold child predators accountable for their crimes and protect Michigan children from abuse.”