Bill > AB97

Introduced Session

Legislative Counsel's Digest: Section 1 of this bill requires a law enforcement agency to submit a sexual assault forensic evidence kit (hereinafter SAFE kit ) to the applicable forensic laboratory responsible for conducting a genetic marker analysis not later than 30 days after receiving the SAFE kit. Such a requirement does not apply with regard to any noninvestigatory SAFE kit associated with a victim who: (1) has chosen to remain anonymous; or (2) indicates that he or she is not a victim of sexual assault. Section 1 also requires each forensic laboratory that receives a SAFE kit from a law enforcement agency to: (1) test the SAFE kit not later than 120 days after receiving the SAFE kit; and (2) upon completion of a genetic marker analysis, include the DNA profile obtained from the genetic marker analysis in the State DNA Database and the Federal Bureau of Investigation s Combined DNA Index System. Section 1 further requires each forensic laboratory to submit a report annually to the Director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau, for transmittal to the next session of the Legislature or to the Legislative Commission, as applicable. The report must include certain information concerning SAFE kits received by the forensic laboratory, depending on whether a SAFE kit was received by the forensic laboratory before January 1, 2015, or on or after January 1, 2015. Existing law requires a county in whose jurisdiction a sexual assault is committed to pay any costs incurred by a hospital for the forensic medical examination of the victim of the sexual assault. (NRS 217.300) Existing law also authorizes a compensation officer of the Department of Administration to order the payment of compensation from the Fund for the Compensation of Victims of Crime to or for the benefit of victims of certain crimes or to certain other specified persons. (NRS 217.033, 217.160, 217.260) Section 3.3 of this bill additionally authorizes a compensation officer to order the payment of compensation to a county for the reimbursement of costs associated with conducting forensic medical examinations of victims of sexual assault that are paid by the county, in an amount equal to the cost of 10 forensic medical examinations or $10,000, whichever is less, each fiscal year. Section 3.7 of this bill makes an appropriation of $3,000,000 to the Office of the Attorney General to be allocated pursuant to an interlocal agreement to a public entity for the purpose of making payments to forensic laboratories to reduce the backlog of sexual assault forensic evidence kits that have not been tested.

AI Summary

Teresa Benitez-Thompson (D)*,  Aaron Ford (D)*,  Steve Yeager (D)*, 

Approved by the Governor. Chapter 431. (on 06/08/2017)

Official Document