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An Act To Improve the Investigation and Prosecution of Sexual Assault Cases
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  25 MRSA c. 411  is enacted to read:
CHAPTER 411
SUBMISSION OF SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES FOR REVIEW FOR PROSECUTION
§ 3851. Submission of sexual assault cases for review for prosecution
A law enforcement agency in possession of a complaint for an alleged sexual assault under Title 17-A, chapter 11 shall within 60 days of receiving the complaint inform the appropriate prosecutor of any evidence and submit the complaint for review and a decision by the prosecutor regarding further investigation and commencement of prosecution. Failure of a law enforcement agency to inform the appropriate prosecutor of any evidence and submit a complaint to the appropriate prosecutor within 60 days as required by this section does not affect the validity of a later submission and prosecution.
 
SUMMARY
This bill requires a law enforcement agency, within 60 days of receiving a complaint for an alleged sexual assault, to inform the appropriate prosecutor of any evidence and submit the complaint to the appropriate prosecutor for review and a decision by the prosecutor regarding further investigation and commencement of prosecution. Failure of a law enforcement agency to do so does not affect the validity of a later submission and prosecution.