STATEHOUSE (Jan. 21, 2020) – A bill co-authored by State Sen. Jon Ford (R-Terre Haute) that would extend the statute of limitations for certain sexual offenses unanimously passed the Senate Committee on Corrections and Criminal Law today.
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, the General Assembly passed https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2020/bills/senate/109, 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.
“Protecting Hoosier children continues to be a top priority for me, and SB 109 does this for adults who were victims of sexual assault as children,” Ford said. “It’s important we support these survivors and give them the opportunity to come forward even after they turn 31, especially when evidence is discovered that can bring the abuser to justice.”
This bill is supported by RAINN, the Indiana Coalition to End Sexual Assault and Human Trafficking, and the Indiana Sheriff’s Association.
SB 109 will now be considered by the full Senate.
To learn more about SB 109, click here.
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For a high-resolution photo of Sen. Ford, click here.
