House panel OKs bill to help prosecutors combat sex crimes

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) – Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear has gone before a legislative committee to push for a bill he says would help prosecutors crack down on sex crimes against children and vulnerable adults.
The measure won approval from the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.
Beshear says the measure, sponsored by Democratic Rep. Joni Jenkins, would close “a glaring gap” in state law that’s hindering some prosecutions against alleged child sex abusers.
Beshear says the bill would close the legal loophole by creating a “continuous course of conduct” law.
He says it would allow children and vulnerable adults to testify about patterns of abuse without being penalized for not remembering exact dates and places where abuse occurred.
The measure stems from a state Supreme Court ruling last year.
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The legislation is House Bill 109.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.