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Senate Judiciary panel adopts amendment restoring contraception access and evidence preservation in HB 2456A
Summary
The Senate Committee on Judiciary adopted a floor amendment to House Bill 2456A restoring access to contraception in the statute's medical assessment definition and preserving sexual assault forensic evidence kits with the State Police; the amended bill was sent to the Senate floor with a due-pass recommendation.
The Senate Committee on Judiciary on May 14 adopted the A2 amendment to House Bill 2456A and voted to move the bill to the Senate floor with a due-pass recommendation.
The bill revises definitions used for the sexual assault victims emergency medical response fund and requires the Department of Justice to adopt rules on assessment time frames, payment processes and covered services. The amendment restored the bill’s original language to include contraception and emergency-contraception prescriptions in the definition of medical assessment for victims 17 or younger and reinstated existing law requiring law enforcement to preserve sexual assault forensic evidence kits and related evidence.
Abby (committee staff) told the committee the A2 amendment “restores the definition of sexual assault forensic evidence kit and adds to the definition of medical assessment, the offering and provision of contraception and prescriptions for emergency contraception for victims 17 years of age or younger, and the collection of forensic evidence using an evidence collection kit approved by the Department of State Police.” She also said the amendment restores the original language of ORS 147.3976 that requires preservation of forensic kits.
Senator Thatcher moved adoption of the A2 amendment. After discussion and a roll call, the chair announced the motion carried and later called and carried a motion to send HB 2456A, as amended, to the floor with a due-pass recommendation. Committee members recorded their votes as “aye” during the roll calls; the amendment and the bill as amended were carried.
The bill came to the committee from the House floor with a recorded vote of 51 ayes and 9 excused, and committee staff indicated no fiscal or revenue impact for the amendment.
The committee did not take additional action beyond forwarding the bill to the floor; Senator Thatcher agreed to carry the bill to the Senate floor.
