Colorado Voters Could Permanently Eliminate the Sexual Abuse Statute of Limitations in November 2026

Reviewed by Survivor Rights Center · Updated 2026-07-05

What the Colorado Proposal Would Do

In Colorado, a ballot measure referred to as SRC 25-002 would ask voters in November 2026 to decide whether the state legislature should have the authority to permanently eliminate the statute of limitations for sexual abuse civil claims. This is an unusual route -- most states have addressed SOL reform through legislative action alone -- but it reflects the significance of the change being proposed. A yes vote would not immediately eliminate the time limit; it would grant the legislature the authority to pass that elimination into law.

The proposal would apply to civil claims, meaning lawsuits brought by survivors in civil court seeking compensation for harm caused by abuse or the failure of institutions to prevent it. Civil claims are separate from criminal cases, which have their own statutes of limitations. A civil claim allows survivors to seek accountability and damages from individuals and organizations, including schools, religious institutions, youth organizations, and other entities where abuse occurred.

If voters approve the measure, Colorado's legislature would be positioned to enact a permanent removal of time limits -- meaning there would be no deadline for a survivor to file a civil claim, regardless of when the abuse occurred or when the survivor first became able to come forward. This would place Colorado alongside a small group of states that have already taken this step.

Why Eliminating Time Limits Matters

The scientific and legal arguments for eliminating statutes of limitations for sexual abuse claims rest on a well-documented reality: trauma delays disclosure. Research consistently shows that survivors of sexual abuse -- particularly childhood sexual abuse -- often require years or even decades before they are able to come forward. The reasons are complex and deeply individual: shame, fear of not being believed, psychological effects of the trauma itself, dependence on or fear of the abuser, and in many cases active suppression of allegations by institutions.

A statute of limitations that expires before a survivor is ready or able to file effectively closes the civil justice system to that survivor permanently. This is why, since 2002, approximately 30 states have enacted some form of lookback window or other expanded protection. Each of these legislative acts represents a recognition that the original time limits were built on assumptions about abuse that do not match the reality of how survivors experience and disclose trauma.

The trend has accelerated in recent years. States have moved from modest extensions of limitation periods to outright elimination, reflecting both a deeper understanding of trauma and the cumulative effect of decades of documented institutional abuse. The Colorado ballot measure is part of this broader national trajectory.

What This Means for Survivors

For context on what permanent elimination of a statute of limitations looks like, Maryland, Nevada, and Vermont are three states that have already removed time limits for sexual abuse civil claims. In those states, survivors may file regardless of when the abuse occurred. There is no clock that runs out. This does not mean that filing becomes easy -- other legal and evidentiary challenges still exist -- but it means that the passage of time alone is not a barrier.

For Colorado survivors, the November 2026 ballot measure is something to track and understand. The outcome will depend on voter turnout and political conditions that cannot be predicted with certainty. Whether or not the measure passes, survivors in Colorado currently have specific limitation periods that govern their ability to file civil claims, and those periods may have already changed or may change further based on separate legislative action. Knowing what applies to your specific situation requires confirming current law with a licensed attorney.

This page is educational information only. It does not constitute legal advice and does not create any attorney-client relationship. The law in any state can change, and the outcome of the Colorado ballot measure will determine what comes next there. Survivors in all states are encouraged to seek current, state-specific legal information about their rights.

5 States With Permanent or Long-Term SOL Changes for Sexual Abuse Claims

A growing number of states have moved beyond temporary lookback windows to create permanent or long-term changes to how statutes of limitations apply to sexual abuse civil claims. Here are five examples.

1. Maryland -- no time limit: Maryland has permanently eliminated the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse civil claims, meaning survivors may file at any point in their lives regardless of when the abuse occurred. There is no deadline that bars a claim based on time alone.
2. Nevada -- permanent revival: Nevada enacted permanent changes that allow survivors to bring civil claims for childhood sexual abuse without a statute of limitations bar. Previously time-barred claims can be filed, making Nevada one of the most expansive states in terms of survivor access to civil courts.
3. Vermont -- open since 2019: Vermont has had no statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse civil claims since 2019. Survivors who were abused at any point in the past may file in Vermont's civil courts, with the protection applying broadly to abuse occurring within the state.
4. California -- extensive protections: California has one of the most comprehensive frameworks in the country, including no statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse claims filed after 2020, plus a separate two-year lookback window for adult survivors added by AB 250 effective January 1, 2026.
5. Rhode Island -- new 2026 lookback window: Rhode Island opened a two-year lookback window on July 1, 2026, allowing previously time-barred childhood sexual abuse survivors to file civil claims through June 30, 2028. While not permanent, it is one of the most recently enacted windows in the country.

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