This bill expands the rights of sexual assault survivors and requires certain entities to provide them with information about their rights. The bill adds new rights for sexual assault survivors, including the right to not be charged for a medical examination and the right to have a sexual assault evidence collection kit preserved for a certain period of time. The bill also requires the attorney general to post information about sexual assault survivors' rights on their website. Additionally, the bill requires healthcare providers, law enforcement officers, and other employees of listed entities to provide sexual assault survivors with information about their rights.

The bill also defines "sexual assault survivor" as an individual who asserts that they have been subject to a sexual assault offense or an individual reporting an attempted rape. The bill clarifies that a deceased victim of sexual assault is also considered a sexual assault survivor.

The bill also requires the Department of Justice to adopt rules for a standardized rape protocol and kit and a domestic violence protocol to be used by physicians and hospitals when providing physical examinations to victims of alleged sexual offenses and domestic abuse. The Department of Justice is also required to create a document summarizing the information required by the bill so that victims, healthcare providers, and the general public can easily access the details of the protocols. The bill will take effect 60 days after its passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 21-M:18
As Amended by the House: 21-M:18, 21-M:19, 21-M:8-d