An Act To Remove the Statute of Limitations for Certain Sex Crimes

Sec. 1. 17-A MRSA §8, sub-§1,  as amended by PL 1999, c. 438, §1, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:

Sec. 2. 17-A MRSA §8, sub-§2,  as amended by PL 2013, c. 392, §1, is repealed.

Sec. 3. 17-A MRSA §8, sub-§2-A,  as enacted by PL 2013, c. 392, §2, is repealed.

Sec. 4. 17-A MRSA §8, sub-§2-B  is enacted to read:

Sec. 5. Application. This Act applies to the following crimes committed on or after the effective date of this Act or for which the prosecution has not yet been barred by the statute of limitations in force immediately prior to the effective date of this Act: gross sexual assault under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 17-A, section 253; sexual abuse of a minor under Title 17-A, section 254; unlawful sexual contact under Title 17-A, section 255-A; and incest under Title 17-A, section 556.

summary

This bill amends the portions of the Maine Criminal Code pertaining to statutes of limitations to remove statutes of limitations governing the prosecution of Class A, Class B or Class C crimes involving incest; unlawful sexual contact; sexual abuse of a minor; or rape or gross sexual assault, formerly denominated as gross sexual misconduct.

These changes apply only to those sexual crimes committed on or after the effective date of this legislation or for which the prosecution has not yet been barred by the statute of limitations in force immediately prior to the effective date of this legislation.