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SF 191

A bill for an act relating to sexual abuse evidence collection kits, including testing, retention, and inventory requirements.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Liz Bennett and 11 co-sponsors

SF 191 requires 50-year retention of sexual abuse kits, mandatory lab testing and DNA profiling in NDIS/SDIS, and annual reporting to the Department of Public Safety.

Subcommittee: Schultz, Blake, and Bousselot.
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Bill Summary · SF 191

Summary of SF 191 — Sexual Abuse Evidence Kits: Testing, Retention, and Inventory

Overview

SF 191 is a bill introduced on February 3, 2025, and currently in subcommittee (Schultz, Blake, and Bousselot). The bill establishes requirements for the storage (retention), testing, and inventory of sexual abuse evidence collection kits. It aims to standardize timelines for transfer to laboratories, DNA testing, and reporting to the Department of Public Safety (DPS), with specific provisions for both reported cases and anonymous kits.

Purpose and Intent

  • Ensure long-term retention of sexual abuse kits to support investigations and potential later testing.
  • Mandate timely transfer and processing of kits by laboratories.
  • Require handling of DNA analyses and official submission of DNA profiles to state and national databases.
  • Create regular inventory and status reporting to a state agency to improve transparency and tracking.

Key Provisions

Retention and Disposal

  • Law enforcement agencies must store a sexual abuse kit for a minimum of 50 years.
  • For minor victims, the retention period is 50 years after the victim reaches the age of majority.
  • Anonymous kits may be disposed of 30 days after the 50-year retention period.

Transfer and Testing Timeline

  • Agencies must transfer a kit to a laboratory for analysis within 7 days of obtaining the kit from a healthcare provider.
  • Laboratories receiving a kit must conduct an analysis of the evidence from the victim’s forensic medical examination within 30 days of receipt.

DNA Testing and Databases

  • Laboratories must conduct testing to develop a DNA profile eligible for entry into the National DNA Index System (NDIS) and the state DNA Index System (SDIS).
  • If a complete DNA profile cannot be established, the laboratory must evaluate whether other DNA profiling results can be used for investigative purposes.
  • If a DNA profile is generated, the full profile must be entered into both NDIS and SDIS.
  • If the laboratory cannot meet the analysis and documentation time requirements, the untested kit may be transferred to an accredited private laboratory.

Anonymous Kits

  • Anonymous kits may be disposed of 30 days after the 50-year retention period (subject to the above retention framework).

Inventory and Reporting

  • By January 15, 2026, and annually thereafter, all medical facilities, law enforcement agencies, laboratories, and other facilities that receive, maintain, store, or preserve kits must submit a report to the DPS.
  • Reports must include the total number of all untested kits in the possession of each facility.

Who Is Affected

  • Medical facilities that collect sexual abuse evidence.
  • Law enforcement agencies that hold and manage kits.
  • Forensic laboratories (public and, if applicable, accredited private labs).
  • Accredited private laboratories used as a fallback for untested kits.
  • The Department of Public Safety (receiving annual reports).
  • Sexual abuse survivors, including minors, by affecting how evidence is stored and processed.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Introduced: February 3, 2025.
  • Subcommittee actions: February 4, 2025.
  • Initial reporting deadline: January 15, 2026 (annual reporting thereafter).
  • Ongoing: annual reporting requirement for all relevant facilities to DPS.

Sponsors

  • Primary sponsors include: Weiner, Petersen, Blake, Staed, Winckler, Bennett, Townsend, Bisignano, Dotzler, Trone Garriott, Quirmbach, Donahue (list may reflect multiple co-sponsors).

Bottom Line

SF 191 would create a comprehensive framework for sexual abuse kits, emphasizing a 50-year retention period, defined transfer and testing timelines, mandatory DNA profiling and database entry when possible, optional use of private labs for untested kits, and mandatory annual inventory reporting to DPS. The bill would particularly impact how facilities manage kit storage, processing capacity, and data reporting, with a focus on facilitating investigations while maintaining long-term evidence integrity.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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