S. 3103 would eliminate the statute of limitations—currently set at 10 years—for a minor victim to file a civil action to recover damages for several federal crimes against minors, including sexual abuse, trafficking, exploitation, and pornography. The act would apply prospectively and retroactively, allowing civil suits to be brought against entities for actions committed more than 10 years ago. As a result of the changes, CBO expects that individuals would bring additional suits in federal courts.
People who file civil suits in federal district courts pay filing and administrative fees that typically total $425. Those fees are recorded in the budget as revenues, and the judiciary can spend those revenues without appropriation to cover administrative costs, which are recorded as direct spending. Because CBO expects that the number of additional cases filed each year would likely be small, CBO estimates that S. 3103 would increase both revenues and direct spending by insignificant amounts annually over the 2022-2032 period, and that the net effect on the deficit would be negligible.
In addition, CBO expects that federal courts would incur administrative costs to hear cases filed as a result of enactment of S. 3103. Using information from the judiciary about the costs of processing current caseloads, CBO estimates those costs would not be significant. Any spending on those activities would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.
