Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

Fiscal Note
                                        Fiscal Services Division
SF 570 – Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner Program (LSB1336SV)
Staff Contact: Christin Mechler (515.250.0458) christin.mechler@legis.iowa.gov
Fiscal Note Version – New
Description
Senate File 570 establishes the Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner Program (Program) under
administration by the Office of the Attorney General. The Program shall 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. Senate File 570 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 and nonoffending parents or 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 are tasked with
updating protocols and best practices related to sexual assault examinations.
Senate File 570 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,
   provide technical training, and working with the advisory committee as established in
   SF 570.
• 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.
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•   The IDPH assumes the implementation of SF 570 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 assumes that this grant funding will continue with the implementation of this
    Bill.
Fiscal Impact
Senate File 570 will have no impact on the State General Fund. Funding for the two FTE
positions, as required by the Attorney General 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 (primarily Victims
of Crime Act funds).
Estimates of funding necessary for the 2.0 FTE positions required by the Attorney General are
provided in Table 1. 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.
                  Table 1 — Implementation Costs by Funding Source, SF 570
                                                                          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
                                                                         /s/ Holly M. Lyons
                                                                          March 11, 2021
Doc ID 12165981216598
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
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Statutes affected: 
Introduced: 13.31, 915.46