Any criminal proceeding or civil proceeding, including but not limited to judicial review of all administrative orders, instituted under this chapter shall be governed by the provisions of this chapter as such provisions existed in full force and effect on the date of the alleged commission of the underlying facts or circumstances which constitutes evidence of the commission of a crime or violation of this chapter, notwithstanding any subsequent amendment to this chapter, unless the General Assembly shall specifically declare otherwise, except that no civil or criminal proceeding shall be instituted after the lapse of the appropriate period of limitation which was in effect at the time the cause of action arose or the alleged commission of the crime occurred.