This week marked the return of the General Assembly to the State Capitol. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, I believe the time has come for lawmakers to resume the 2020 legislative session. While the first day back in the Missouri Senate felt a little strange, with some wearing face masks and everyone undergoing a temperature check before entering the Capitol, I was proud to return to my desk in the Senate chamber and represent our community.
During our first day back in the State Capitol, the Missouri Senate passed one of my legislative priorities for the 2020 legislative session. Senate Bill 569 establishes a secure, electronic tracking system for sexual assault forensic evidence (SAFE) kits. Through this legislation, victims of sexual assault will be able to track the status of their kit throughout the legal process. This legislation passed the Missouri Senate without any opposition, and I believe this tracking system is a positive step toward justice for every victim of sexual assault.
The Missouri attorney general’s SAFE Kits Initiative Inventory Report found that more than 6,000 SAFE kits –nearly 90 percent of Missouri’s backlogged rape kits – remain untested. Even more concerning is some of the thousands of SAFE kits found to be untested are located in St. Louis County hospitals and municipal police departments. It may be easy to see this number as merely a statistic, but each kit represents an individual who deserves our support and the opportunity to have their case investigated by law enforcement.
In addition to the SAFE kit tracking system, Senate Bill 812 was added to SB 569. This language establishes the Sexual Assault Survivors’ Bill of Rights, which includes rights and protections for survivors of sexual assault during any medical examination and interactions with law enforcement, the prosecuting attorney and the defense attorney. Senate Bill 951 was also added to SB 569. This language establishes the Justice for Survivors Act, which directs the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services to establish a statewide telehealth network to provide forensic exams for victims of sexual assault.
It was a humbling moment to see my colleagues vote to pass this legislation in a bipartisan fashion. Through this legislation, I firmly believe we can further protect victims of sexual assault and give them the resources and support they need to bring justice to their case. While this legislation now moves to the Missouri House of Representatives for consideration, I am hopeful that it will cross the legislative finish line before the end of the 2020 legislative session and make it to the governor’s desk for his consideration.