Provides for a 10 year statute of limitations for the violation of second degree sexual assault.

Plain-English Summary

This Rhode Island bill would set a 10-year time limit for prosecutors to bring criminal charges against someone accused of second-degree sexual assault. A "statute of limitations" is essentially a legal deadline — it defines how long after a crime occurs the government has to formally charge someone with that crime. Currently, there may be a different (shorter) time limit in place for this specific offense, and this bill would extend or establish that window to 10 years.

Second-degree sexual assault in Rhode Island generally refers to sexual contact made without a person's consent but that does not involve penetration. This is distinct from first-degree sexual assault, which typically involves more severe acts. The 10-year window would give victims more time to come forward and give investigators and prosecutors more time to build a case before the legal deadline runs out.

This bill primarily affects sexual assault survivors and those accused of this crime. For survivors, a longer statute of limitations means they would have more time to decide whether to report the assault and pursue criminal charges — which can be important given that many victims need time to process trauma before they are ready to engage with the legal system. For the accused, it means they could potentially face criminal charges further into the future. The bill has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee, where it will be reviewed before any further action is taken.