EVIDENCE Competency of Witnesses: Amend Provision for Qualification of Victims and Witnesses of Child Molestation and Other Crimes

The Act amends a section of the Code pertaining to the competency of child witnesses to testify. Before this change, a child's competency as a witness could be challenged by either party in court. Upon such challenge, the court was obligated to examine the child to determine her ability to understand the nature and ramifications of her testimony. The Act declares that children ages fourteen and under who were or may have been the victims or witnesses of child molestation or other crimes are automatically competent to testify.