§ 38-6-123 — Inventory of sexual assault collection kits

(a) As used in this section: (1) "Forensic medical examination" means an examination provided to the victim of a sexually-oriented criminal offense by a healthcare provider for the purpose of gathering and preserving evidence of a sexual assault for use in a court of law; (2) "Sexual assault collection kit" means a human biological specimen or specimens collected by a healthcare provider during a forensic medical examination from the victim of a sexually-oriented criminal offense; and (3) "Untested sexual assault collection kit" means a sexual assault collection kit that has not been submitted to the Tennessee bureau of investigation or a similar qualified laboratory for either a serology or deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) test. (b) By July 1, 2014, all law enforcement agencies and departments charged with the maintenance, storage and preservation of sexual assault collection kits shall conduct an inventory of all such kits being stored by the agency or department. (c) By July 1, 2014, each law enforcement agency shall compile, in writing, a report containing the number of untested sexual assault collection kits in the possession of the agency or department and the date the sexual assault kit was collected. The report shall be transmitted to the Tennessee bureau of investigation. (d) By September 1, 2014, the Tennessee bureau of investigation shall prepare and transmit a report to the speaker of the senate and speaker of the house of representatives containing the number of untested sexual assault collection kits being stored by each county, by each law enforcement agency or department, and the date the untested kit was collected.

Legislative History

Added by 2014 Tenn. Acts, ch. 733,s 1, eff. 4/22/2014.