Bill > H1746

This bill enhances protections for sexual violence survivors by modifying existing law to provide more control and privacy for survivors during the evidence collection and investigation process. The bill makes two key changes: First, it allows sexual assault survivors who have not yet filed a police report to choose whether to have their sexual assault evidence kit (commonly known as a "rape kit") tested or safely stored by law enforcement for the duration of the statute of limitations. The kits must be submitted to a crime laboratory within 7 business days of collection if the survivor opts for testing, specifically in municipalities with populations over 150,000. Second, the bill establishes strict limitations on how law enforcement can use survivors' DNA samples, ensuring that their genetic information can only be used for the specific incident being investigated and cannot be added to broader DNA databases or compared with unrelated crime scene evidence. These provisions aim to give survivors more agency in the legal process and protect their privacy by preventing unauthorized use of their personal genetic information.

Justice

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H1746