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House unanimously passes Crime Victims Bill of Rights adding forensic‑kit and treatment protections
Summary
The House passed Senate Bill 20‑211, the Crime Victims Bill of Rights, requiring notifications and ensuring hospitals provide forensic exams to sexual assault victims and not turn them away, and incorporating House Bill 928.
The Mississippi House voted 120–0 to pass Senate Bill 20‑211, titled the Crime Victims Bill of Rights, which sets out notification protocols and medical‑care requirements for sexual assault victims and incorporates related House provisions.
Supporters said the bill requires victims to be notified of developments in their cases, clarifies handling of sexual assault evidence kits and incorporates House Bill 928, which requires hospitals to treat sexual assault victims who present at emergency departments and to make qualified personnel available to perform forensic exams (registered nurse, nurse practitioner, physician assistant or physician). The sponsor said the measure also helps the state secure federal funding that depends on certain victim‑rights protections.
On the floor, a member asked whether the bill included post‑care support such as mental‑health services for victims. The sponsor said the code sections needed to add such supports were not available in the present bill but that they would “certainly look into that,” acknowledging the importance of mental‑health follow‑up.
House members adopted the amendment offered and then voted for final passage. The roll call recorded 120 yeas, 0 nays.
The sponsor and other supporters described the bill as filling gaps in notification and immediate treatment to ensure victims are not turned away from care at emergency departments.
