A bill authored by State Sen. Michael Crider (R-Greenfield) that would extend the statute of limitations for certain sexual offenses unanimously passed the Senate Committee on Corrections and Criminal Law Tuesday.

Under current law, the statute of limitations for most sex crimes against children requires charges to be filed before the victim reaches 31 years of age. Senate Bill 109 would create exemptions to this rule if law enforcement discover DNA evidence of a crime; discover a recording that provides evidence of a crime; or if the perpetrator confesses to the crime.

In 2015, Crider authored Senate Enrolled Act 94, also known as “Jenny’s Law,” which provides the same exemptions for rape. SB 109 is an expansion of Jenny’s Law, aligning the exemptions to the statute of limitations for rape with sex crimes against children.

“As a former law enforcement officer, I know how important of a step this is in ensuring justice for victims of sexual assault,” Crider said. “I remain a fierce advocate for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence and will continue to chip away at the hurdles victims must go through to seek justice.”

SB 109 will now be considered by the full Senate.

To learn more about SB 109, click here.