TINLEY PARK – State Senator Michael Hastings (D-Tinley Park) proposed legislation which would extend the statute of limitations for crimes committed in the course of committing a sexual offense.

"It is imperative to make sure that those who commit sexual offenses are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law for all of the crimes involved with the offense," Hastings said. "Home invasions, burglaries and kidnappings are all very serious crimes. Letting someone off the hook because a given amount of time has gone by demeans the effectiveness of our judicial system."

Hastings' proposal would give prosecutors more time to charge an individual for committing armed robbery, home invasion, kidnapping or aggravated kidnapping in the course of committing a sexual offense.

Under current law, an offender can only be prosecuted for one of those crimes within 3 years of the offense. Senator Hastings' bill would increase the time period for prosecuting those crimes to 10 years.

Moreover, it would provide that if the victim of the sexual offense is under 18 at the time of the offense the offender may be prosecuted at any time for additional crimes committed during the act.

The bill now moves to the floor for consideration.