House Bill 2268 Summary

• Health care facilities must notify the investigating law enforcement agency within 48 hours after collecting sexual assault kit evidence and obtaining written consent to release it.

• Law enforcement agencies must take possession of sexual assault evidence kits from health care facilities within 5 business days of notification and submit them to a public accredited crime laboratory within 15 business days after receipt when a victim reports to law enforcement and a crime is determined to have occurred.

• Public accredited crime laboratories must upload eligible DNA profiles to state databases, municipal law enforcement databases, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Combined DNA Index System if profiles meet the respective comparison policy requirements.

• Failure by law enforcement to meet submission deadlines does not constitute grounds to challenge DNA evidence validity in criminal or civil proceedings, and accused or convicted persons cannot object to non-compliance.

• Law enforcement agencies and public accredited crime laboratories must submit annual reports to the Department of Public Safety by August 30 detailing sexual assault kits received, analyzed, and reasons for non-submission or non-analysis; DPS must compile and report findings to the Governor and Legislature by December 1.