LD 2207

APPROVED  CHAPTER
  APRIL 3, 2026  617
  BY GOVERNOR  PUBLIC LAW
  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.
  Page 1 - 132LR3040(03)