Rape Kit Backlog: Klobuchar Introduces Bill To Expedite Process

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, along with Republicans John Cornyn and Dean Heller, as well as Democratic colleague Michael Bennet, introduced the Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence Reporting (SAFER) Act to reauthorize, strengthen, and extend the Sexual Assault Forensic Registry program in an effort to help reduce the national rape kit backlog.

“It’s a tragedy that unprocessed rape kits are sitting in storage when they could hold the answers to unsolved crimes,” Klobuchar said in a statement Thursday. “Reauthorizing this bipartisan legislation will help law enforcement to reduce the number of untested rape kits and help put perpetrators behind bars.”

In addition to reauthorizing this program, the legislation would ensure pediatric forensic nurses are eligible for training, highlighting the need for pediatric sexual assault nurse examiners in responding to children suffering from abuse, according to Klobuchar's office.

Klobuchar is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and prior to her time in the Senate, Klobuchar served as Hennepin County Attorney.

Photo credit: Idaho Press-Tribune via Idaho State Police via AP