On Tuesday, May 12, the Missouri House of Representatives passed my SAFE kits legislation, Senate Bill 569, and sent it to the governor’s desk. No longer will survivors of sexual assault have to suffer in silence. Survivors deserve justice and this bipartisan legislation gives them the resources and support they need.
This legislation establishes a secure, electronic tracking system for sexual assault forensic evidence (SAFE) kits. The bill strengthens investigations and prosecution of rapists and sexual abusers by reforming the handling, tracking and processing of sexual assault forensic evidence (SAFE) kits in Missouri.
When I read the Missouri attorney general’s SAFE Kits Initiative Inventory Report, I was shocked to learn that more than 6,000 SAFE kits –nearly 90 percent of Missouri’s backlogged rape kits – remain untested. This is unacceptable. Each of these 6,000 kits represents a person, not a statistic. They deserve our support and the opportunity to have their case investigated by law enforcement.
In addition to the SAFE kit tracking reforms, Senate Bill 812 was added to SB 569. This language establishes the Sexual Assault Survivors’ Bill of Rights, which provides rights and protections for survivors of sexual assault during any medical examination or interaction 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.
Despite being in the midst of a pandemic, I am thankful that my colleagues, in both chambers, prioritized this legislation and voted to send it to the governor’s desk. From my perspective, SB 569 demonstrates our state’s commitment to supporting victims of sexual assault by giving them the rights and protections they deserve. I am very hopeful the governor will approve this legislation and sign it into law.