Heller’s bipartisan bill to speed rape kit analysis becomes law

President Donald Trump this week signed into law a bipartisan bill introduced by U.S. Sen. Dean Heller (R-NV) to reduce the national backlog of rape kits and improve recovery services for young sexual abuse survivors.

The Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence Reporting (SAFER) Act of 2017, S. 1766, introduced by Heller and Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) on Sept. 6, 2017, reauthorizes the 2013 law that makes grants to states or local government units for rape kit DNA analysis through 2022. The bill also enables training for pediatric forensic nurses who work with sexually abused children and adolescents. The House version, H.R. 3541, was introduced July 28, 2017 by U.S. Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX). The bill was presented to President Trump in December and he signed it on Jan. 8.

The legislation serves to bring criminals to justice sooner, Sen. Heller said in a Jan. 8 statement.

“I applaud the President for signing into law this critical piece of bipartisan legislation that will help Nevada law enforcement in their efforts to cut down on the backlog of untested rape kits and ensure that critical evidence isn’t left collecting dust,” said Heller, who joined Sens. Cornyn, Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) in introducing S. 1766.

“Victims of sexual assault deserve swift justice and nothing less,” Heller added. “As a strong supporter and author of proposals to crack down on these horrific crimes and aid victims on a path to recovery and closure, I am proud to have partnered with Senator Cornyn and my colleagues across the aisle to see this bill enacted into law.”

Upon the bill’s introduction last fall, Cornyn said, “The backlog of untested kits sitting in labs and evidence lockers across the country is unacceptable and only adds to the pain of survivors. This bill ensures our state and local law enforcement agencies continue to have the resources to solve crimes, and provide survivors with the justice they deserve.”

The Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN) applauded Heller’s work on behalf of sexual violence victims.

“The SAFER Act of 2017 helps victims attain justice and aids law enforcement in bringing perpetrators to justice,” said Rebecca O’Connor, RAINN’s vice president of public policy. “This is a bipartisan win for survivors of sexual violence, and we appreciate Sen. Heller’s efforts to champion this legislation and support victims.”