Allows evidence of a defendant's prior sexual assault to be admissible in a sexual assault proceeding

This bill allows prosecutors to introduce evidence that a defendant has committed a prior sexual offense during a current sexual assault trial. The law permits judges to admit this past conduct to prove specific facts like intent, identity, or a common pattern of behavior, rather than just to show the defendant has a bad character. However, the judge retains the power to exclude such evidence if its negative impact on a fair trial outweighs its usefulness in proving the case. The definition of a "sexual offense" under this rule includes various crimes listed in the state penal code, and the changes take effect immediately upon signing.