HB5245 Summary: Sexual Assault Survivors Emergency Treatment Act Amendments

• Expands medical forensic services beyond hospital emergency departments to include approved pediatric health care facilities and establishes three hospital plan types: treatment hospitals (all survivors), treatment hospitals with approved pediatric transfer (pediatric transfer + age 13+ services), and transfer hospitals (transfer only).

• Requires qualified medical providers (board-certified child abuse pediatricians, sexual assault forensic examiners, or sexual assault nurse examiners) to initiate medical forensic services within 90 minutes of patient arrival by January 1, 2022, and mandates 2 hours of sexual assault training for other emergency department staff.

• Establishes sexual assault services vouchers to cover ambulance services, medical forensic services, laboratory services, pharmacy services, and 90-day follow-up healthcare without patient cost or billing restrictions.

• Creates photo documentation requirements for injuries and visible evidence, with secure storage and retention for 60 years (minors) or 20 years (adults); mandates evidence collection kits be offered to all qualifying survivors within 7 days of assault.

• Establishes a Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Services Implementation Task Force and Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Program within the Attorney General's office to provide training, develop standards, and create uniform patient materials.