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Montana politics, elections and legislative news

Proposal Would End Statute Of Limitations On Child Sexual Abuse Prosecutions

Montana lawmakers are proposing a bipartisan bill that would end the statute of limitations for prosecuting sex crimes committed against children. It would also extend the window for filing civil lawsuits against the perpetrator or others.

Members of the state House Judiciary Committee say the proposal is a compromise that combines the intentions of three other bills. Here’s Republican Rep. Bill Mercer.

"We need to ensure that an investigation is undertaken. We need to ensure that a prosecution is undertaken in the event that there is proof of child sexual abuse. And we need to do everything we can to ensure that those predators are then locked-up."

Mercer says the bill requires county attorneys to report to the attorney general information about child sexual abuse investigations and prosecutions. He says that information will help lawmakers understand the scope of the problem and the government's response to such reports.

The committee voted today to introduce the bill, which will go through a legal review, followed by a hearing.

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