The House Veterans Affairs and Public Safety Committee heard HB 1413 on rape kits, authored by Rep. Cash and Rep. Sweet. The bill establishes the rape kit backlog fund to provide funding for assisting law enforcement agencies and testing labs in eliminating the backlog of untested rape kits and requires the Indiana State Police department to provide grants to law enforcement agencies and testing labs to help eliminate the backlog of untested rape kits. The bill also requires the Criminal Justice Institute to make an annual report to the general assembly, provides that before January 1, 2027, every law enforcement agency and testing lab shall process certain rape kits in their possession that are not completely processed as of July 1, 2025, and makes an appropriation.
The Committee amended the bill by consent to replace “criminal justice institute” with “state police department” for the annual reporting requirement. The Indiana Coalition to End Sexual Assault and a member of the public testified in support of the bill. The amended bill passed 11-0.
Read the bill at: https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2025/bills/house/1413