The attorney general and a bipartisan group of lawmakers introduce a bill to prevent future backlogs of sexual assault kits in Wisconsin. Attorney General Josh Kaul said the measure will establish timelines and protocols for victims, medical professionals and law enforcement.
“Under current Wisconsin law, there’s no statutory framework for the collection and processing of sexual assault kits,” Kahl said during a Tuesday press conference. “This legislation will change that.”
Under the bill, if the victim wants to report the sexual assault to law enforcement, a health care professional must notify police within 24 hours of collecting the kit. If the victim doesn’t want to report, the kit must still be sent to the state crime lab 72 hours. Kits are to be stored there for up to 10 years
Kaul said he’s confident the bipartisan bill would pass the Legislature. “This legislation sends a clear message, which is that we can never have another backlog of untested sexual assault kits again in Wisconsin.”