Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HB0528
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Full Text of HB0528  100th General Assembly

HB0528 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

  
  

 


 
100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2017 and 2018
HB0528

 

Introduced , by Rep. Margo McDermed

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
725 ILCS 202/21 new

    Amends the Sexual Assault Evidence Submission Act. Provides that the Department of State Police shall create and operate a statewide sexual assault evidence kit tracking system. Provides that the statewide sexual assault evidence kit tracking system shall: (1) track the location and status of sexual assault evidence kits throughout the criminal justice process, including the initial collection in examinations performed at medical facilities, receipt at local law enforcement agencies, and receipt and analysis at forensic laboratories; (2) allow medical facilities performing sexual assault forensic examinations, law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, State and local crime laboratories, and other entities who have physical custody of sexual assault evidence kits to update and track the status and location of sexual assault evidence kits; (3) allow victims of sexual assault to anonymously track and receive updates regarding the status of their sexual assault evidence kit; and (4) use technology to allow continuous access for appropriate personnel. Provides that the Department may phase in initial participation in the statewide sexual assault evidence kit tracking system by region, volume, or other appropriate classification. Provides that all entities who have custody of sexual assault evidence kits shall fully participate in the system by no later than July 1, 2019. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.


LRB100 04273 SLF 14279 b

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB0528LRB100 04273 SLF 14279 b

1    AN ACT concerning criminal law.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Sexual Assault Evidence Submission Act is
5amended by adding Section 21 as follows:
 
6    (725 ILCS 202/21 new)
7    Sec. 21. Sexual assault evidence kit tracking system.
8    For the purposes of this Section:
9    "Sexual assault evidence kit" means an Illinois State
10Police Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kit as defined in
11Section 1a of the Sexual Assault Survivors Emergency Treatment
12Act.
13    (a) The General Assembly recognizes the deep pain and
14suffering experienced by victims of sexual assault. Sexual
15assault is an extreme violation of a person's body, sense of
16self, and safety. Sexual violence is a pervasive social
17problem. National studies indicate that approximately 1 in 4
18women will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime. Survivors
19often turn to hospitals and local law enforcement for help and
20many volunteer to have professionals collect a sexual assault
21evidence kit to preserve physical evidence from their bodies.
22The process of collecting a sexual assault evidence kit is
23extremely invasive and difficult.

 

 

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1    The General Assembly finds that, when forensic analysis is
2completed, the biological evidence contained inside sexual
3assault evidence kits can be an incredibly powerful tool for
4law enforcement to solve and prevent crimes. Forensic analysis
5of all sexual assault evidence kits sends a message to
6survivors that they matter. It sends a message to perpetrators
7that they will be held accountable for their crimes. The
8General Assembly is committed to bringing healing and justice
9to survivors of sexual assault.
10    The General Assembly recognizes the laudable and
11successful efforts of law enforcement in the utilization of
12forensic analysis of sexual assault evidence kits in the
13investigation and prosecution of crimes. The General Assembly
14intends to continue to build on this State's efforts to address
15serious concerns in the treatment of sexual assault evidence
16kits through the establishment of a statewide sexual assault
17evidence kit tracking system. This system will be designed to
18track all sexual assault evidence kits in this State in order
19to further empower survivors with information, assist law
20enforcement with investigations and crime prevention, and
21create transparency and foster public trust.
22    (b) The Department of State Police shall create and operate
23a statewide sexual assault evidence kit tracking system. The
24Department may contract with State and non-State entities,
25including, but not limited to, private software or technology
26providers for the creation, operation, and maintenance of the

 

 

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1statewide sexual assault evidence kit tracking system.
2    (c) The statewide sexual assault evidence kit tracking
3system shall:
4        (1) track the location and status of sexual assault
5    evidence kits throughout the criminal justice process,
6    including the initial collection in examinations performed
7    at medical facilities, receipt at local law enforcement
8    agencies, and receipt and analysis at forensic
9    laboratories;
10        (2) allow medical facilities performing sexual assault
11    forensic examinations, law enforcement agencies,
12    prosecutors, State and local crime laboratories, and other
13    entities who have physical custody of sexual assault
14    evidence kits to update and track the status and location
15    of sexual assault evidence kits;
16        (3) allow victims of sexual assault to anonymously
17    track and receive updates regarding the status of their
18    sexual assault evidence kit; and
19        (4) use technology to allow continuous access for
20    appropriate personnel.
21    (d) The Department of State Police may phase in initial
22participation in the statewide sexual assault evidence kit
23tracking system by region, volume, or other appropriate
24classification. All entities who have custody of sexual assault
25evidence kits shall fully participate in the statewide sexual
26assault evidence kit tracking system on or before July 1, 2019.

 

 

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1The Department shall submit a report on the current status and
2plan for launching the system, which shall include the plan for
3phases of implementation, to the Governor and appropriate
4committees of the General Assembly on or before January 1,
52019.
6    (e) The Department of State Police shall submit a
7semi-annual report on the statewide sexual assault evidence kit
8tracking system to the Governor and appropriate committees of
9the General Assembly. This report shall be made available to
10the public through the Department's website. The first report
11shall be due on or before July 1, 2019, and subsequent reports
12shall be due on or before January 1st and July 1st each year
13after. These semi-annual reports shall include:
14        (1) the total number of sexual assault evidence kits in
15    the system, statewide and by jurisdiction;
16        (2) the total and semi-annual number of sexual assault
17    evidence kits where forensic analysis has been completed,
18    statewide and by jurisdiction;
19        (3) the number of sexual assault evidence kits added to
20    the system within the reporting period, statewide and by
21    jurisdiction;
22        (4) the total and semi-annual number of sexual assault
23    evidence kits where forensic analysis has been requested,
24    but not yet completed, statewide and by jurisdiction;
25        (5) the average and median length of time for sexual
26    assault evidence kits to be submitted to forensic analysis

 

 

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1    after being added to the system, including separate sets of
2    data for sexual assault evidence kits currently in the
3    system and for sexual assault evidence kits yet to be added
4    to the system within the reporting period, statewide and by
5    jurisdiction;
6        (6) the average and median length of time for forensic
7    analysis to be completed for sexual assault evidence kits
8    after being submitted for forensic analysis, including
9    separate sets of data for all sexual assault evidence kits
10    within the system, and for sexual assault evidence kits to
11    be added to the system within the reporting period,
12    statewide and by jurisdiction;
13        (7) the total number of sexual assault evidence kits,
14    statewide and by jurisdiction, where forensic analysis has
15    not been completed and 6 months or more have passed since
16    those sexual evidence kits were added to the system; and
17        (8) the total number of sexual assault evidence kits,
18    statewide and by jurisdiction, where forensic analysis has
19    not been completed and 1 year or more has passed since
20    those sexual assault evidence kits were added to the
21    system.
22    (f) For the purposes of the required reports under
23subsection (e) of this Section, a sexual assault evidence kit
24shall be assigned to the jurisdiction associated with the law
25enforcement agency anticipated to receive the sexual assault
26evidence kit or otherwise in the custody of the sexual assault

 

 

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1evidence kit.
2    (g) A public agency or entity, including officials and
3employees, and a hospital and its employees providing services
4to victims of sexual assault may not be held civilly liable for
5damages arising from the release of information of the failure
6to release information related to the statewide sexual assault
7evidence kit tracking system so long as the act or omission was
8without gross negligence.
9    (h) Local law enforcement agencies shall participate in the
10statewide sexual assault evidence kit tracking system
11established in subsection (b) of this Section for the purpose
12of tracking the status of all sexual assault evidence kits in
13the custody of local law enforcement agencies and other
14entities contracting with local law enforcement agencies.
15Local law enforcement agencies shall begin full participation
16in this system according to the implementation schedule
17established by the Department.
18    (i) A sheriff and his or her deputies shall participate in
19the statewide sexual assault evidence kit tracking system
20established in subsection (b) of this Section for the purpose
21of tracking the status of all sexual assault evidence kits in
22the custody of the Department and other entities contracting
23with the Department. Sheriffs shall begin full participation
24with the system according to the implementation schedule
25established by the Department.
26    (j) State and local crime laboratories that perform DNA

 

 

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1analysis shall participate in the statewide sexual assault
2evidence kit tracking system established in subsection (b) of
3this Section for the purpose of tracking the status of all
4sexual assault evidence kits in their custody and other
5entities contracting with crime labs. State and local crime
6laboratories shall begin full participation in the system
7according to the implementation schedule established by the
8Department.
9    (k) Hospitals or other treatment centers with staff
10performing sexual assault forensic examinations shall
11participate in the statewide sexual assault evidence kit
12tracking system established in subsection (b) of this Section
13for the purpose of tracking the status of all sexual assault
14evidence kits collected by or in the custody of hospitals or
15treatment centers and other entities contracting with those
16hospitals or treatment centers. Hospitals and treatment
17centers shall begin full participation in the system according
18to the implementation schedule established by the Department.
19    (l) Prosecuting attorneys shall participate in the
20statewide sexual assault evidence kit tracking system
21established in subsection (b) of this Section for the purpose
22of tracking the status of all sexual assault evidence kits
23connected to a criminal investigations and prosecutions within
24the county. Prosecuting attorneys shall begin full
25participation in the system according to the implementation
26schedule established by the Department.
 

 

 

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1    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
2becoming law.