Ohio bills would extend rape cases’ statute of limitations

COLUMBUS (AP) — A Senate committee is considering a proposal to extend the 20-year statute of limitations for rape and sexual battery.

Related bills in the Ohio House and Senate would provide an additional five years for prosecution from the time a potential suspect is identified through DNA testing.

The legislation comes as the attorney general’s office continues to plow through a backlog of untested rape kits, with numerous cases of DNA matches in a criminal database.

The Senate Criminal Justice Committee was scheduled to hear testimony and possibly vote later today.

The House Judiciary Committee put off a vote Tuesday as opponents told lawmakers they believe the bill is unconstitutional because it creates two classes of offenders, those whose cases involve DNA evidence, and those whose cases don’t.