Constitutional Law

Investigators at the time accepted an explanation from Janet's husband, Richard, a local police officer and former state trooper, that the two had sped away from their home and crashed, igniting an open container of gasoline the son had placed in the car.

A decade later, authorities discredited Richard Dow's account, saying they believed the Dows were murdered and the accident set up. Richard Dow was the target of the investigation, but the attorney general's office said it did not have enough evidence to win a conviction.

Cushing said Tuesday his bill would have given authorities another tool.

"It would have helped because Dick Dow gave false information to law enforcement officers about what took place the day his wife and stepson were murdered," he said. "When police subsequently uncovered the fact it was a homicide, instead of an accident, Dick Dow could not be prosecuted for what were obvious false statements made to law enforcement."