HB 2600 Summary

• Establishes comprehensive rights for sexual assault survivors including the right to consult with a sexual assault victim advocate during medical examinations and interviews with law enforcement or prosecutors.

• Requires medical facilities to inform survivors of their rights in a document developed by the attorney general before conducting medical evidentiary examinations and mandates free medical exams with no direct or indirect costs charged to survivors.

• Prohibits use of sexual assault kit evidence to prosecute survivors for misdemeanor offenses or drug-related crimes under chapter 34 of Arizona Revised Statutes.

• Grants survivors rights to receive free copies of law enforcement reports, timely notice of case disposition, defendant location information, and protection from intimidation and harassment including secure courtroom waiting areas separate from defendants.

• Requires law enforcement to submit sexual assault kit evidence to crime laboratories within 15 business days of receiving notice from medical providers and allows survivors to request deferred analysis of evidence.