ASSEMBLY JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

[Second Reprint]

SENATE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

SENATE, Nos. 1270 and 2566

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: OCTOBER 15, 2026

      The Assembly Judiciary Committee reports favorably Senate Bill Nos. 1270 and 2566 (2R) SCS.

      The bill eliminates the statute of limitations for criminal prosecutions of human trafficking and aggravated criminal sexual contact and eliminates the statute of limitations under which a victim of human trafficking may bring a civil suit against the perpetrator.

      Currently, a prosecution for human trafficking must be commenced, by way of an indictment, within five years after the offense is committed.  Also, a prosecution for criminal sexual contact, when the victim is under 18 years old, must be commenced, by way of an indictment, within five years of the victim turning 18 or within two years of the discovery of the offense, whichever is later.

      Additionally, under current law, a civil suit brought by a victim of human trafficking must also be filed within five years.  A civil suit may be brought against: (1) the offender; (2) all those acting in concert with that offender; (3) all those knowingly deriving a pecuniary benefit from the offense, whether or not these parties are acting in concert with the offender; and (4) all those knowingly maintaining any victim of the offense, whether or not these parties are acting in concert with the offender.

      Under the bill, a criminal prosecution for human trafficking or aggravated criminal sexual contact, regardless of the age of the victim, may be commenced at any time.  Also, under the bill, a civil suit for human trafficking may be filed at any time.

      Finally, the bill expands the scope of defendants in a civil suit for human trafficking to include all those who derive a direct or indirect pecuniary benefit from the offense, whether or not these parties are acting in concert with the offender, knowing or in reckless disregard that the pecuniary benefit they derived was from the human trafficking offense, and all those who maintain any victim of the offense, whether or not these parties are acting in concert with the offender, knowing or in reckless disregard that the person they maintained was the victim of the human trafficking offense.

      As reported by the committee, Senate Bill Nos. 1270 and 2566 (2R) SCS is identical to the committee substitute for Assembly Bill No. 3384, which was also reported by the committee on this date.