Bill > SB2284

This bill establishes new guidelines for the treatment of sexual assault victims in hospitals, defining "hospital" as a licensed entity, "sexual assault" as defined by law, and "victim of sexual assault" broadly to include individuals who state they were assaulted, are accompanied by someone who states they were assaulted, or are reasonably believed by hospital staff or a sexual assault nurse examiner to be a victim. Importantly, hospitals cannot force victims to undergo forensic examinations or report the assault to law enforcement, and if they lack specialized staff, they must collaborate with community programs or develop their own to ensure victims can receive examinations and treatment for sexually transmitted infections. Additionally, the bill designates $250,000 from oil and gas impact grants for community-based or hospital-based sexual assault examiner programs for a specific two-year period, with the Board of University and School Lands awarding these grants under the direction of the Attorney General, who will then report on the training and deployment of nurses and collaborative efforts involving various agencies. Grant recipients must also report on fund usage and program outcomes, with a restriction that grant funds cannot be used for nurse salaries.