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LD2207 • 2025

An Act Regarding the Statute of Limitations for Certain Sexual Offenses Committed Against Minors

An Act Regarding the Statute of Limitations for Certain Sexual Offenses Committed Against Minors

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Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Last action
2026-04-03
Official status
Signed by the Governor
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act Regarding the Statute of Limitations for Certain Sexual Offenses Committed Against Minors

An Act Regarding the Statute of Limitations for Certain Sexual Offenses Committed Against Minors Reference committee: Judiciary Governor action: Signed by the Governor

What This Bill Does

  • An Act Regarding the Statute of Limitations for Certain Sexual Offenses Committed Against Minors Reference committee: Judiciary Governor action: Signed by the Governor

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Adopted by House & Senate

Plain English: Page 1 - 132LR3040(02) COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 1 L.D.

  • Page 1 - 132LR3040(02) COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 1 L.D.
  • 2207 2 Date: (Filing No.
  • H- ) 3JUDICIARY 4 Reproduced and distributed under the direction of the Clerk of the House.
  • 5STATE OF MAINE 6HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 7132ND LEGISLATURE 8SECOND REGULAR SESSION 9 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT “ ” to H.P.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-03 Governor

    Signed by the Governor

  2. 2026-03-30 Senate

    PASSED TO BE ENACTED , in concurrence.

  3. 2026-03-30 Committee

    Reported Out; OTP-AM/ONTP

  4. 2026-03-26 House

    PASSED TO BE ENACTED . Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.

  5. 2026-03-19 Committee

    Reported Out; OTP-AM/ONTP

  6. 2026-02-26 Committee

    Work Session Held

  7. 2026-02-26 Committee

    Voted; Divided Report

  8. 2026-02-10 Committee

    Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

Official Summary Text

An Act Regarding the Statute of Limitations for Certain Sexual Offenses Committed Against Minors
Reference committee:
Judiciary
Governor action:
Signed by the Governor

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Page 1 - 132LR3040(03)
STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX
_____
H.P. 1484 - L.D. 2207
An Act Regarding the Statute of Limitations for Certain Sexual Offenses
Committed Against Minors
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 17-A MRSA §8, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2023, c. 475, §2 and affected
by §3, is further amended to read:
1. It is a defense that prosecution was commenced after the expiration of the applicable
period of limitations provided in this section, except that the following prosecutions may
be commenced at any time:
A. A prosecution for murder or criminal homicide in the first or 2nd degree; or
B. If the victim had not attained the age of 18 years at the time of the crime, a
prosecution for incest; unlawful sexual contact; sexual abuse of a minor; rape or gross
sexual assault, formerly denominated as gross sexual misconduct; unlawful sexual
touching; or sexual exploitation of a minor.; or
C. If the victim had not attained the age of 18 years at the time of the crime, a
prosecution for aggravated sex trafficking or commercial sexual exploitation of a
minor. The provisions of this paragraph apply only to those crimes of aggravated sex
trafficking or commercial sexual exploitation of a minor committed on or after
September 1, 2026 or for which the prosecution was not barred by the statute of
limitations in force immediately prior to September 1, 2026.
Sec. 2. 17-A MRSA §8, sub-§2-A, as amended by PL 2025, c. 479, §1, is further
amended to read:
2-A. A Except as provided in subsection 1, paragraphs B and C, a prosecution for a
Class A, Class B or Class C crime involving unlawful sexual contact or gross sexual assault
or a prosecution for a Class A or Class B crime involving aggravated sex trafficking must
be commenced within 20 years after it is committed.
This subsection does not apply to a Class D crime enhanced to a Class C crime pursuant to
section 1604, subsection 5, paragraph B.
APPROVED
APRIL 3, 2026
BY GOVERNOR
CHAPTER
617
PUBLIC LAW