A Senate subcommittee moved forward legislation Monday that would extend a 2024 law temporarily lifting the state’s statute of limitations on child sexual abuse to allow Iowa victims to participate in a national Boy Scouts settlement.
The bill would keep the provision in place until the lawsuit concludes.
Senate Study Bill 3194 extends Senate File 2431, a measure signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds in 2024 which removed Iowa’s restrictions on civil legal actions in child sexual abuse cases. The law is specifically for Iowans seeking to receive compensation through the $2.46 billion Scouting Settlement Trust — a settlement established in 2023 after the Boy Scouts of America filed for bankruptcy to give funds to people who experienced abuse related to their time in Boys Scouts.
The current law was introduced because Iowans involved the settlement were set to receive less compensation than victims living in other states, as settlement payouts considered state statutes of limitations. Iowa law requires child sexual assault victims to file civil lawsuits by age 19, or within four years of understanding the abuse led to the injuries and suffering for which they seek compensation.
These constraints were lifted to allow Iowans involved in the Boy Scouts settlement to receive equitable compensation to victims in other states. But the 2024 law included a sunset provision, repealing the statute of limitations exemption on Dec. 31, 2026. Advocates have told reporters they are asking lawmakers to remove this time limit from the previous law, because many of the claims and payouts still being processed from the settlement, and are unlikely to be resolved before the end of the year.
Sen. Tim Kraayenbrink, R-Fort Dodge, told the subcommittee that to his knowledge, “there hasn’t been any litigation action up to this point,” and that the measure ensures Iowans can participate in this legal action on a more realistic timeline.
“They’re trying to do it as quickly as possible, but I think it needs to be thoroughly done,” Kraayenbrink said. “And so what will happen is hopefully we can get this extended … this bill extends until after all filings and appeals.”
Lobbyists with the Iowa State Bar Association and Iowa Association for Justice spoke at the subcommittee meeting. While the state Bar Association was registered “undecided” on the bill, Lisa Davis-Cook said the group wanted to “applaud any efforts” to ensure Iowa victims are able to receive just compensation in the settlement as the bankruptcy court continues working through the case.
Both Sens. Janet Petersen, D-Des Moines, and Dan Zumbach, R-Ryan, voted to move the bill forward. Petersen said Iowa’s restrictive statute of limitations on child sexual assault claims “continues to be a problem” for victims in the state, but said she supported the measure as it would “at least help the Boy Scouts who are a part of the bankruptcy lawsuit.”
The measure is now eligible for discussion by the full Senate Appropriations Committee.
