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Advocacy


Published on Feb 07, 2020

New process proposed for handling sexual assault kits

Contact: Sharon Swanson, Jacob Ewing

Legislation that aims to address the handling of sexual assault kits continues to advance.

HB 2318, sponsored by Rep. Tina Orwall (D–Des Moines), updates the process for managing sexual assault kits in Washington. The bill requires police departments to store unreported sexual assault kits (SAK) for 20 years from the time that a kit is collected.

AWC supports HB 2318. Initially, AWC had concerns about potential fiscal impacts resulting from the storage requirements; however, the House Public Safety Committee adopted an amendment addressing our concerns.

The amendment provides new requirements for law enforcement agencies around the storing of lost property in an effort to offset the costs of storing SAKs. Under the new requirements, law enforcement agencies are required to store lost property when the property is a bank card, charge or credit card, cash, government issued document, financial document, or legal document, firearm, evidence in judicial or other official proceeding, or an item that is not legal for the finder to possess. This replaces the previous requirement of law enforcement agencies accepting any lost property valued at over $100. Finally, law enforcement agencies have discretion to accept other forms of lost property.

HB 2318 is in the House Appropriations Committee.

  • Public safety & criminal justice
  • Advocacy

 

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