Statute of limitations in sights

A House committee gave unanimous support to a bill that would remove the statute of limitations on rape Tuesday.

"It's time to get rid of the statute of limitations for the brutal crimes," said Rep. Paul Ray, R-Clearfield, before the House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee voted 9-0 to send HB189 to the floor.

The bill's sponsor, Rep. Carl Wimmer, R-Herriman, told committee members that the bill would eliminate the statute of limitations for all first-degree felony sex offenses, which include crimes such as rape, rape of a child, forcible sodomy and aggravated sexual assault.

Paul Boyden, director of the Statewide Association of Prosecutors, said the state's current statute of limitations for such crimes depends on the victim's age. For child victims there is virtually no statute of limitations. Adult victims have four years to report the crime and another four years to file charges.