Representative Ross Ford has drafted House Bill 2705 to require law enforcement agencies investigating cases of sexual assault to inform victims of the state of any forensic evidence collected as part of the case. This includes rape test kits.
“Sexual assault is a horrific crime that already steals too much from victims. This measure is intended to at least give them the peace of mind in knowing whether a law enforcement agency has forensic evidence in their possession and the status of that evidence being processed and potentially matched with the perpetrator of the crime,” said Ford.
The measure allows for a victim to be informed if a DNA profile has a confirmed match in law enforcement agencies’ databases. However, the bill does draw the line at disclosure of evidence, information, or results which would impede or compromise an ongoing criminal investigation.
Ford has successfully passed legislation providing more protections and resources to victims of sexual assault and domestic violence.
