iILLINOIS
News-Gazette
Tom Kacich
SPRINGFIELD — Legislation that would remove the statute of limitations for felony sex crimes committed against minors, such as the recent case involving former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert, sailed through an Illinois Senate Committee on Tuesday.
SB 189, sponsored by Sen. Scott Bennett, D-Champaign, was approved unanimously by the Senate Criminal Law Committee.
Among those testifying in favor of the bill were Attorney General Lisa Madigan and Scott Cross, one of Hastert’s victims when the former Republican Party powerhouse was a wrestling coach at Yorkville High School in the 1970s.
Hastert was never charged with any state crimes because the statute of limitations — generally 20 years after a victim’s 18th birthday — had run out. But he was convicted of violating federal banking laws for paying hush money to one of four victims who prosecutors had identified.
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