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Committee forwards bill to remove statute of limitations for first-degree arson to general register
Summary
House File 764, carried by Representative Matt Hudson, would eliminate the statute of limitations for first-degree arson. After testimony from affected organizations and debate about investigative and evidence-retention challenges, the committee recommended the bill to the General Register by voice vote.
Representative Matt Hudson told the House Public Safety Committee that House File 764 would remove the five-year statute of limitations for first-degree arson.
Hudson said incidents can take years to investigate and cited the January attack on offices housing multiple political organizations as an example where suspects remain unidentified. "I don't think if we discover who they were and have the evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that they were responsible for these crimes five years from now … that should prevent us from seeking justice," Hudson said.
Kendall Qualls, whose organization was displaced by the January fire, apologized for earlier heated remarks in the hearing and urged passage to allow longer pursuit of suspects. "This bill only because the uncertainty of this crime ... leaves people that have been victimized once to live with that victimization on an ongoing basis," Qualls said.
Bill Walls said his organization and donors have established a reward fund — public testimony said the fund could reach as much as $100,000 — to encourage tips. Prosecutors and some committee members pressed for consultation with arson investigators and the fire marshal about evidence-retention and operational implications of removing a statute of limitations. Representative Johnson said removing the limitation could create long-term storage burdens for departments that retain fire debris and other evidence.
Nonpartisan staff and the author said the bill places no explicit new retention duties on investigative agencies; decisions about evidence disposition remain subject to departmental policy. Representative Lee Muller suggested that extending, rather than eliminating, the limit might be a compromise; several members asked the author to consult with arson investigators. The author said the bill will not affect the January case retroactively — committee members noted the bill’s effective date or status means it would not apply to that incident if the limitations period had already expired.
Vice Chair Novotny called a voice vote. The motion to re-refer House File 764 to the General Register carried by voice vote; the committee record shows no roll-call tally.
