Chapter 354
2022 -- H 7079 SUBSTITUTE A
Enacted 06/29/2022

A N   A C T
RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- SEXUAL ASSAULT EVIDENCE KITS

Introduced By: Representatives Edwards, Kazarian, Cassar, McEntee, Cortvriend, Bennett, Fogarty, Craven, Caldwell, and Ajello

Date Introduced: January 12, 2022

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
     SECTION 1. Title 23 of the General Laws entitled "HEALTH AND SAFETY" is hereby
amended by adding thereto the following chapter:
CHAPTER 97 98
SEXUAL ASSAULT EVIDENCE KITS
     23-97-1 23-98-1. Short title.
     This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Sexual Assault Evidence Kits Act".
     23-97-2 23-98-2. Definitions.
     For purposes of this chapter:
     (1) "Accredited laboratory" means a DNA laboratory that is formally recognized and meets
or exceeds a list of standards, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director's quality
assurance standards, to perform specific tests, established by a nonprofit professional association
of persons actively involved in forensic science that is nationally recognized within the forensic
community in accordance with the provisions of the federal DNA Identification Act, 42 USC ยง
14132, or other applicable law.
     (2) "Anonymous kit" or "unreported kit" means a kit that is collected from a victim of
sexual assault through a medical forensic examination where the victim elects, at the time of the
examination, not to report the sexual assault offense to a law enforcement agency.
     (3) "Combined DNA Index System (CODIS)" means the FBI's program of support for
criminal justice DNA databases as well as the software used to run the databases.
     (4) "DNA analysis" means the isolation of autosomal deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) to
develop DNA profiles that are eligible for entry into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS),
DNA samples taken from evidence containing DNA from a known individual or of unknown origin,
the determination of the DNA test results, and entry of resulting DNA profiles into CODIS.
     (5) "Law enforcement agency" means a local police department, the Rhode Island state
police, the office of the attorney general, or a federal, state, or local governmental body that
enforces criminal laws and maintains employees who have a statutory power of arrest.
     (6) "Medical forensic examination" means an examination of a sexual assault patient by a
health care healthcare provider, ideally one who has specialized education and clinical experience
in the collection of forensic evidence and treatment of these patients. Such examination may include
gathering information from the patient for the medical forensic history,; an examination,;
coordinating treatment of injuries,; documentation of biological and physical findings,; collection
of evidence from the patient,; information, treatment, and referrals for sexually transmitted
infections, pregnancy, suicidal ideation, alcohol and substance abuse, and other non-acute medical
concerns,; and follow-up as needed to provide additional healing, treatment, or collection of
evidence.
     (7) "Newly collected kit" means a kit that has been collected after time frames and
requirements for testing kits were enacted.
     (8) "Previously untested sexual assault evidence kits" means human biological specimen(s)
collected by a health care healthcare provider during a forensic medical examination from the
victim of a sexually-oriented criminal offense that has not been through DNA analysis and has been
held untested by medical facilities, law enforcement agencies, or accredited laboratories.
     (9) "Sexual assault evidence kit" or "kit" means a collection of human biological
specimen(s) collected by a health care healthcare provider during a medical forensic examination
from the victim of a sex offense.
     (10) "Status" means the location, date, and time when the kit is transferred within the chain
of custody.
     23-97-3 23-98-3. Annual statewide inventory of sexual assault evidence kits.
     (a) Within one hundred eighty (180) days of the effective date of this chapter, and annually
thereafter, all medical facilities, law enforcement agencies, crime laboratories, and any other
facilities that receive, maintain, store, or preserve sexual assault evidence kits (kits) shall submit a
report containing the following information to the department of health:
     (1) The total number of all untested kits in possession of each medical facility, law
enforcement agency, crime laboratory, and any other facility that receives, maintains, stores, or
preserves kits.;
     (2) For each kit the facility shall provide:
     (i) The category of the kit:
     (A) Whether sexual assault was reported to law enforcement; or
     (B) Whether the victim chose not to file a report with law enforcement.
     (ii) The status of the kit:
     (A) For kits of medical facilities: The date when the kit was reported to law enforcement,
and the date when the kit was delivered to the state health laboratory;
     (B) For kits of a law enforcement agency: The date the kit was picked up from a medical
facility, the date when the kit was submitted to a crime laboratory, and for any kit not submitted to
a crime lab, the reason the kit was not submitted;
     (C) For kits belonging to another jurisdiction: The date that the jurisdiction was notified
and the date the kit was picked up; and
     (D) For kits in possession of crime laboratories: The date the kit was received from law
enforcement and from which agency the kit was received; the date when the kit was tested; the date
when the resulting information was entered into CODIS or other relevant state or local DNA
databases, and the reasoning, if applicable, that a kit was not tested or a DNA profile was not
created.;
     (3) The total number of kits in possession of the entity for more than thirty (30) days or
beyond the statutory time frame for kit submission and testing.; and
     (4) The total number of kits destroyed and the reason for destruction.
     (5)(b) The department of health shall compile the data from the reports in a summary
report. The summary report shall include a list of all agencies or facilities that failed to participate
in the preparation of the report. The annual summary report shall be made publicly available on the
department of health's website, and shall be submitted to the governor, the speaker of the house of
representatives, the president of the senate, and the office of the attorney general.
     (b)(c) Within ninety (90) days of the effective date of this chapter, all previously untested
kits in medical facilities or other facilities that collect kits shall be submitted to the appropriate law
enforcement agency.
     (c)(d) Within one hundred eighty (180) days of the effective date of this chapter, each law
enforcement agency shall submit all previously untested kits, including those sexual assaults past
the statute of limitations, to the accredited public crime laboratory or laboratories.
     (1) Anonymous or unreported kits are exempted from this section unless the victim files a
report and consents to the testing of their kit.
     (2) Anonymous and unreported kits shall be safely stored by the state health laboratory in
a manner that preserves evidence for a duration of ten (10) years or the applicable statute of
limitations, whichever is greater.
     (3) Victims who do not file a report with law enforcement at the time the kit was collected
shall not negate their right to report the crime and have the kit tested in the future.
     (d)(e) An accredited public crime laboratory shall test all previously untested sexual assault
kits within ninety (90) days of receipt from the local law enforcement agency.
     (e)(f) Testing shall be pursued to develop autosomal DNA profiles that are eligible for
entry into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) and local DNA databases.
     (1) With the goal of generating a CODIS-eligible DNA profile, if a laboratory is unable to
obtain an autosomal CODIS-eligible DNA profile, the laboratory should evaluate the case to
determine if any other DNA-typing results could be used for investigative purposes.
     (2) In cases where testing has resulted in a DNA profile, the laboratory shall enter the full
profile into the Combined DNA Index System Database (CODIS) and local DNA databases. The
average completion rate for this analysis and classification shall not exceed ninety (90) days.
     (3) If an accredited public crime laboratory is unable to meet the deadline set forth in
subsection (e)(f)(2) of this section, the kits shall be outsourced for testing to an accredited private
crime laboratory.
     23-97-4 23-98-4. Mandatory submission and testing requirements for newly collected
sexual assault evidence kits.
     (a) Medical facilities and all other facilities that conduct medical forensic examinations
shall notify the appropriate law enforcement agency immediately, and no later than twenty-four
(24) hours after the collection of a new sexual assault evidence kit.
     (b) Hospitals and state laboratories shall work together to ensure reported kits are
transferred from the hospital to the laboratory within ten (10) days of the kit being collected.
     (1) Anonymous kits and unreported kits are exempted from this section unless the victim
files a report and consents to the testing of their kit. Anonymous kits shall be safely stored by the
state laboratory in a manner that preserves evidence for a duration of ten (10) years or the applicable
statute of limitations, whichever is greater;.
     (2) Victims who do not file a report with law enforcement at the time the kit was collected
shall not negate their right to report the crime and have their kit tested in the future.
     (3) Kits associated with a reported crime that is uncharged or unsolved shall be preserved
by the applicable law enforcement agency for fifty (50) years or the length of the applicable statute
of limitations, whichever is greater.
     (c) Law enforcement shall contact the department of health when a victim of sexual assault
files a police complaint. At that point, the department of health shall begin the forensic analysis.
An accredited public crime laboratory shall test all kits within thirty (30) days of receipt.
     (1) Testing shall be pursued to develop autosomal DNA profiles that are eligible for entry
into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) and local DNA databases, with the goal of
generating a CODIS-eligible DNA profile. If a laboratory is unable to obtain an autosomal CODIS-
eligible DNA profile, the laboratory shall evaluate the case to determine if any other DNA-typing
results could be used for investigative purposes.
     (2) In cases where testing has resulted in a DNA profile, the laboratory shall enter the full
profile into the Combined DNA Index System Database (CODIS) and local DNA databases. The
average completion rate for this analysis and classification shall not exceed ninety (90) days.
     (3) If an accredited public crime laboratory is unable to meet the deadline specified in
subsection (c)(2) of this section, untested kits shall be outsourced to an accredited private crime
laboratory.
     23-97-5 23-98-5. Victims' rights to notice.
     (a) All victims of sexual assault shall have the right to:
     (1) Consult with a sexual assault victim advocate on a confidential and privileged basis
during the forensic medical exam, and during any interview with law enforcement, prosecutors, or
defense attorneys. Waiving the right to a victim advocate in one instance does not negate this right.
The medical facility, law enforcement officer, or prosecutor shall inform the victim of his or her
rights prior to commencement of a medical forensic examination or law enforcement interview,
and shall not continue unless such right is knowingly and voluntarily waived;
     (2) Information, upon request, of the location, testing date, and testing results of a kit;
whether a DNA profile was obtained from the kit; whether there are matches to DNA profiles in
state or federal databases; and the estimated destruction date for the kit, all in a manner of
communication designated by the victim;
     (3) Be informed when there is any change in the status of their case, including if the case
has been closed or reopened;
     (4) Receive written notification, upon request, from the appropriate official with custody
of a victim's sexual assault evidence kit not later than sixty (60) days before the date of the intended
destruction or disposal;
     (5) Be granted further preservation of the kit or its probative contents;
     (6) Designate a person of the victim's choosing to act as a recipient of the information
provided under this section;
     (7) Be informed about how to file a report with law enforcement and have their kit tested
in the future, if the victim shall decide not to file a report at the time the kit is first collected;
     (8) Be informed about the right to apply for victim compensation; and
     (9) Be provided with the contact information for the designated liaison at the time that a
kit is collected.
     (b) A survivor retains all the rights contained in this chapter at all times, regardless of
whether the survivor agrees to participate in any investigation, prosecution, or generally, in the
criminal justice system of any court of this state and regardless of whether the survivor consents to
a medical evidentiary or physical examination to collect sexual assault forensic evidence.
     (c)(1) The attorney general, in consultation with the victim service providers and victim
advocacy organizations, shall promulgate and publish a sexual assault victim's bill of rights for
purposes of informing sexual offense victims of their rights under state law. Such bill of rights shall
be prominently published on the department of the attorney general's website, in plain, easy to
understand language and in at least the ten (10) most common languages spoken in this state, and
distributed to hospitals as a document which shall be provided to every presenting sexual offense
victim. The department of the attorney general may update the bill of rights as necessary to reflect
changes in state law and more accurately explain the law.
     (2) In advance or at the beginning of the medical forensic examination and law enforcement
interview, medical professionals, victim advocates, law enforcement officers, or prosecutors shall
provide victims with the bill of rights as created by the attorney general identifying their rights
under law, including the rights granted pursuant to this section.
     (d) The attorney general, in coordination with victim service providers, shall ensure that
trauma-informed, survivor-focused, statewide policies and procedures for law enforcement shall
be adopted concerning contact with victims and notification concerning kits.
     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
========
LC003681/SUB A/2
========