SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) – An Illinois lawmaker wants to give survivors of human trafficking and related offenses more time to get justice. 

Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel (D-Crest Hill) passed a bill out of the Senate Criminal Law Committee that would remove the statute of limitations for victims of sex trafficking or exploitation to bring charges after they turn 18 years old. 

“The victims of crimes like these can take time to come forward because of trauma or other hardships,” Loughran Cappel said.

Under the current law, any minors who have been a victim of involuntary servitude, involuntary sexual servitude or trafficking can only press charges against their offender within 25 years after they turn 18. This bill is part of broader legislation lawmakers have filed to increase punishment for human traffickers and remove the statute of limitations on similar serious offenses. 

Cappel said this bill gives power back to the survivors to get justice when they feel it’s time.

“Eliminating the time restriction would help ensure survivors can tell their story when they feel ready, not when the law says so,” Cappel said. “The perpetrators of these awful crimes shouldn’t be able to hide behind past time.”

The bill passed both chamber committees with full bipartisan support, and it has already passed the House of Representatives.