APPROVED CHAPTER
JULY 27, 2023 475
BY GOVERNOR PUBLIC LAW
STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-THREE
_____
S.P. 715 - L.D. 1790
An Act Removing the Statute of Limitations on Civil Actions and Criminal
Prosecutions for Certain Sexual Offenses Against Minors
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 14 MRSA §752-C, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 1999, c. 639, §1, is amended
to read:
2. Sexual acts toward minors defined. As used in this section, "sexual acts toward
minors" means the following acts that are committed against or engaged in with a person
under the age of majority:
A. Sexual act, as defined in Title 17‑A, section 251, subsection 1, paragraph C; or
B. Sexual contact, as defined in Title 17‑A, section 251, subsection 1, paragraph D.
C. Gross sexual assault, as described in Title 17-A, section 253;
D. Sexual abuse of a minor, as described in Title 17-A, section 254;
E. Unlawful sexual contact, as described in Title 17-A, section 255-A;
F. Unlawful sexual touching, as described in Title 17-A, section 260;
G. Sexual exploitation of a minor, as described in Title 17-A, section 282; or
H. Incest, as described in Title 17-A, section 556.
Sec. 2. 17-A MRSA §8, sub-§1, ¶B, as enacted by PL 2019, c. 483, §1, is amended
to read:
B. If the victim had not attained the age of 16 18 years at the time of the crime, a
prosecution for incest; unlawful sexual contact; sexual abuse of a minor; or rape or
gross sexual assault, formerly denominated as gross sexual misconduct; unlawful
sexual touching; or sexual exploitation of a minor.
Sec. 3. Application. That section of this Act that amends the Maine Revised
Statutes, Title 17-A, section 8, subsection 1, paragraph B applies to the following crimes
in which a victim has not attained 18 years of age at the time of the crime:
Page 1 - 131LR1361(03)
 1. Incest, unlawful sexual contact, sexual abuse of a minor, gross sexual assault,
unlawful sexual touching or sexual exploitation of a minor committed on or after the
effective date of this Act; and
2. 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 for which the prosecution was not barred by the statute of
limitations in force immediately prior to the effective date of this Act.
Page 2 - 131LR1361(03)


Statutes affected:
Bill Text LD 1790, SP 715: 14.752, 17-A.8
Bill Text ACTPUB , Chapter 475: 14.752, 17-A.8