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Rape kit testing
Jan. 27th, 2023 03:14 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
otterI wrote to my legislators about the rape kit backlog.
This is the response from one, and my reply.
"Thank you for contacting me to voice your support for testing rape kits. I agree and appreciate your advocacy on this matter.
During the 2018 legislative session, the legislature passed a bill establishing the procedures for handling sexual assault examination kits (HF 3017/SF 2863). Under this measure, when a sexual assault examination is performed, evidence is collected, and the patient requests that law enforcement officials be notified, the healthcare professional performing the examination must notify the law enforcement agency responsible for collecting the evidence. The law enforcement agency must retrieve the evidence from the health care professional within 10 days of receiving notice. The law enforcement agency must submit the kit for testing to a forensic laboratory within 60 days unless it deems the result of the kit would not add evidentiary value to the case. If a kit is not submitted during this time, the law enforcement agency must make a record, in consultation with the county attorney, stating why the kit was not submitted.
Although a bill to modify or improve Minnesota’s rape kit testing law has yet to be introduced in this 2023 legislative session, please be assured that I take your concern seriously and will certainly review any proposed legislation on this matter if it comes before me.
Thank you!
-Sydney Jordan"
Is there something in that reply that addresses the rape kit backlog?? I didn't think so. It looks mostly like it says people have to request law enforcement to do some paperwork about whether they chose to use the kit or not. My reply to her:
"How about if you write such a piece of legislation to propose yourself. It seems to me that waiting around for it to show up on your desk is equivalent to doing nothing.
Radically,"
Me
This is the response from one, and my reply.
"Thank you for contacting me to voice your support for testing rape kits. I agree and appreciate your advocacy on this matter.
During the 2018 legislative session, the legislature passed a bill establishing the procedures for handling sexual assault examination kits (HF 3017/SF 2863). Under this measure, when a sexual assault examination is performed, evidence is collected, and the patient requests that law enforcement officials be notified, the healthcare professional performing the examination must notify the law enforcement agency responsible for collecting the evidence. The law enforcement agency must retrieve the evidence from the health care professional within 10 days of receiving notice. The law enforcement agency must submit the kit for testing to a forensic laboratory within 60 days unless it deems the result of the kit would not add evidentiary value to the case. If a kit is not submitted during this time, the law enforcement agency must make a record, in consultation with the county attorney, stating why the kit was not submitted.
Although a bill to modify or improve Minnesota’s rape kit testing law has yet to be introduced in this 2023 legislative session, please be assured that I take your concern seriously and will certainly review any proposed legislation on this matter if it comes before me.
Thank you!
-Sydney Jordan"
Is there something in that reply that addresses the rape kit backlog?? I didn't think so. It looks mostly like it says people have to request law enforcement to do some paperwork about whether they chose to use the kit or not. My reply to her:
"How about if you write such a piece of legislation to propose yourself. It seems to me that waiting around for it to show up on your desk is equivalent to doing nothing.
Radically,"
Me
