OLYMPIA –Legislation to remove the state’s statute of limitation for certain sexual crimes against minors passed off the House floor today.
“Survivors of sexual violence have worked for years to change our state’s statute of limitations law, I am so proud that after years of hard work, we were finally able to get this bill passed,” said Sen. Manka Dhingra (D-Redmond), sponsor of the legislation. “SB 5649 strikes a good balance of aligning how victims process trauma while holding offenders accountable” Dhingra continued.
“As a prosecutor, I have seen first-hand the long-lasting impact these crimes have on victims. One of the worst feelings in the world is having someone confide in you that they were sexually assaulted and then telling them the law prevents them from getting justice.”
“It often takes years for victims of sexual abuse to even acknowledge what has happened to them. We know that the long term psychological effects of sexual abuse can be devastating on victims. This bill says the state is taking this crime seriously and values the voices of survivors.”
SB 5649 would eliminate the statute of limitation for those crimes that involve the most vulnerable in our society; our children. It also extends the statutes of limitations for several sex offenses in order to hold the true violent predators accountable. It would also, remove the requirement that the victim clearly express their lack of consent by words or conduct to prove rape.
“Our criminal justice system puts a unique burden on victims of these crimes that is not placed on any other victim. This bill puts a stop to that.”
Having passed both the House and Senate, SB 5649 heads to the Governor’s desk for signature.
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For information: Bre Weider, Senate Democratic Communications, 360-786-7326
