Statute of limitations on rape

The House committee on Judiciary debated Rep. Creekmore's HB1058 for about 40 minutes before approving the bill as amended this morning. Current law sets the statute of limitations on rape at six years with some exceptions:

• It's 15 years if based on DNA evidence;
• The SOL doesn't begin to run until the victim turns 18;
• (that is unless the matter had previously been investigated); and
• a couple of other minor exceptions

Rep. Creekmore's bill was amended this morning to repeal the statute of limitations as it applies as rape, but only if DNA evidence is used as a basis for the charge. The amendment basically removed the "Juanita Broaddrick" example that concerned many legislators. If this bill becomes law, we'll join a dozen states who've done the same thing -- putting rape in many instances in the same category as murder.