Sponsors
The bill removes time limits for federal prosecution of drug-related deaths, improving the ability to hold perpetrators accountable and resolve cold cases but at the cost of increased risk to defendants' rights, higher wrongful-conviction risk from stale evidence, and greater federal caseloads and costs.
People harmed by drug overdoses (and their families) and law enforcement can seek federal homicide or serious-injury prosecutions at any time, enabling accountability and resolution of cold cases when new evidence emerges.
Permanent tolling increases the long-term risk of federal prosecution for traffickers whose drugs cause fatal or grievous harm, which may modestly improve deterrence.
People accused of drug offenses lose the protection of a statute of limitations, exposing them to prosecution many years after the alleged conduct and increasing uncertainty for defendants.
Long delays between alleged conduct and prosecution can degrade evidence and witness memory, raising the risk of wrongful convictions and imposing burdens on courts.
Allowing prosecutions without time limits may increase federal criminal caseloads and investigative/trial costs, raising expenses for taxpayers and federal employees.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Removes the federal statute of limitations for certain drug-distribution offenses and related conspiracies that cause death or serious bodily injury, allowing prosecution at any time.
Creates a permanent exception to the federal statute of limitations for certain federal drug distribution offenses and related conspiracies when the drug use causes death or serious bodily injury, allowing federal prosecutors to bring charges at any time. It does not add new crimes or change penalties; it only removes the time limit for starting federal prosecutions in those specific cases.
Introduced March 25, 2026 by Daniel Scott Sullivan · Last progress March 25, 2026