CHAPTER 538

H.P. 1313 - L.D. 1873

An Act Regarding Sexual Assault Forensic Examinations

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:

Sec. 1. 24 MRSA §2986, sub-§3, as enacted by PL 1999, c. 719, §2 and affected by §11, is amended to read:

3. Completed kit. If the alleged victim has not reported the alleged offense to a law enforcement agency when the examination is complete, the hospital or health care practitioner shall then notify the nearest law enforcement agency, which shall transport and store the completed forensic examination kit for at least 90 days. The completed kit may be identified only by the tracking number. If during that 90-day period an alleged victim decides to report the alleged offense to a law enforcement agency, the alleged victim may contact the hospital or health care practitioner to determine the tracking number. The hospital or health care practitioner shall provide the alleged victim with the tracking number on the forensic examination kit and shall inform the alleged victim which law enforcement agency is storing the kit.

If the alleged victim reports the alleged offense to a law enforcement agency by the time the examination is complete, the investigating law enforcement agency shall transport the forensic examination kit directly to the Maine State Police Crime Laboratory.