California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 1744

Introduced by Assembly Member Cooper

February 1, 2016

An act to add Section 13823.14 to the Penal Code, relating to sexual assault.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 1744, as introduced, Cooper. Sexual assault forensic medical evidence kit.

Existing law requires the Office of Emergency Services to establish a protocol for the examination and treatment of victims of sexual assault and attempted sexual assault, including child molestation, and the collection and preservation of related evidence. Existing law also establishes one hospital-based training center to train medical personnel on how to perform medical evidentiary examinations for victims of child abuse or neglect, sexual assault, and other similar crimes.

This bill would require the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Forensic Services, the California Association of Crime Laboratory Directors, and the California Association of Criminalists to work collaboratively with public crime laboratories, in conjunction with the California Clinical Forensic Medical Training Center, to develop a standardized sexual assault forensic medical evidence kit to be used by all California jurisdictions.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.  

Section 13823.14 is added to the Penal Code, to
read:

13823.14.  

The Department of Justice’s Bureau of Forensic
Services, the California Association of Crime Laboratory Directors,
and the California Association of Criminalists shall provide
leadership and work collaboratively with public crime laboratories
to develop a standardized sexual assault forensic medical evidence
kit to be used by all California jurisdictions. The packaging and
appearance of the kit may vary, but the elements of the kit shall
be comparable with a minimum number of similar components.
This work shall be completed in conjunction with the California
Clinical Forensic Medical Training Center, established by Section
13823.93, which has responsibility for the development of sexual
assault forensic medical examination procedures and sexual assault
standardized forensic medical report forms, and the statutory
directive to train sexual assault and child sexual abuse forensic
medical examiners who complete and submit these evidence kits
to crime laboratories.