Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

Fiscal Note
                                        Fiscal Services Division
HF 603 – Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner Program (LSB1336HV.1)
Staff Contact: Laura Book (515.205.9275) laura.book@legis.iowa.gov
Fiscal Note Version – Final Action
Description
House File 603 establishes the Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner Program under the
administration of the Office of the Attorney General. The Program is to train, certify, and provide
technical assistance to sexual assault forensic examiners and sexual assault nurse examiners.
The Bill also provides definitions for “sexual assault examiner,” “sexual assault nurse examiner,”
“treatment facility,” and “pediatric treatment facility.” In administering the Program, the Attorney
General is required to maintain a list of sexual assault examiners and sexual assault nurse
examiners who have completed certain training. House File 603 provides that training must be
established and made available to treatment facilities by July 1, 2022. Such training must
provide didactic and clinical training, be available for online or in-person use, and include
information regarding sexual abuse evidence collection kits, sexual abuse, and Iowa’s sexual
assault-related laws.
The Program, in collaboration with the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH), the Iowa
Coalition Against Sexual Assault (ICASA), and qualified medical providers, is also required to
establish uniform training materials related to examination procedures, consent laws, and
evidence collection that all treatment facilities and federally qualified health centers are required
to provide to patients, nonoffending parents, and legal guardians. These materials must also be
made available online at the Attorney General’s website. Additionally, the Program, in
collaboration with the IDPH, the ICASA, and qualified medical providers, is tasked with updating
protocols and best practices related to sexual assault examinations.
House File 603 requires the Attorney General to establish an advisory committee to support the
Program. The Bill enumerates the duties of the advisory committee, including advising on
training developed specifically for the Program, and specifies the members of the Committee.
Background
Currently, the IDPH works collaboratively with the Attorney General, the IDPH, ICASA, and
health care associations to provide training, protocols, and best practices related to sexual
assault examinations.
Assumptions
• The Attorney General estimates that it would require 2.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions
   to administer the Program. These FTE positions would be responsible for developing and
   implementing sexual assault forensic examiner training; developing and maintaining lists of
   certified examiners; collaborating with the IDPH, ICASA, and other stakeholders to develop
   and distribute materials for medical facilities conducting sexual assault examinations;
   providing technical training; and working with the advisory committee as established in
   HF 603.
• The Attorney General expects that half of the costs related to the 2.0 FTE positions will be
   covered by federal grant funding in FY 2022.
                                                  1
•   The IDPH assumes the implementation of HF 603 will have no impact on existing operations
    or staffing. Currently, the IDPH receives grant funding from the Attorney General to provide
    training and technical assistance to health care providers who respond to cases of sexual
    assault, and the IDPH assumes that this grant funding will continue with the implementation
    of this Bill.
Fiscal Impact
House File 603 is expected to have no impact on the State General Fund. Funding for the 2.0
FTE positions, as estimated by the Attorney General to be needed in order to administer the
Program, will come from the Victim Compensation Fund, established in Iowa Code section
915.94. Receipts to the Victim Compensation Fund include criminal fines and penalties, victim
restitution, a percentage of wages earned by inmates employed in the private sector, and
federal funds.
Funding estimates for the 2.0 FTE positions in the Attorney General’s Office are provided in the
table below. Salary and benefit calculations listed in the table for FY 2022 reflect the Attorney
General’s expectation of receiving federal grant funding to cover half of the annual costs.
                        Implementation Costs by Funding Source, HF 603
                                                                          FY 2023
                     Funding Source                  FY 2022
                                                                    (and subsequent years)
                 Victim Compensation Fund        $        100,000 $               200,000
                 Federal Funds                            100,000                          0
                            Total                $        200,000 $               200,000
Sources
Department of Justice, Attorney General
Iowa Department of Public Health
Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault
Legislative Services Agency
                                                                          Holly M. Lyons
                                                                           June 9, 2021
Doc ID 1220472
The fiscal note for this Bill was prepared pursuant to Joint Rule 17 and the Iowa Code. Data used in
developing this fiscal note is available from the Fiscal Services Division of the Legislative Services
Agency upon request.
                                            www.legis.iowa.gov
                                                      2
Statutes affected: 
Introduced: 13.31, 915.46
Enrolled: 13.31, 915.46