Federal Grants Offer States Big Payouts to Guarantee Sexual Assault Survivors' Rights

This bill is essentially a financial incentive program that uses federal grant money from the Attorney General to push states into guaranteeing specific rights for sexual assault survivors. The core idea is simple: the better your state protects survivors, the bigger the check they get from the feds. Specifically, the bill significantly increases the amount of formula grant money a state receives if it has laws, regulations, or policies that mirror the minimum rights outlined in Section 3772 of Title 18, U.S. Code.

The Tiered Funding Structure: Law vs. Policy

The bill sets up a clear, tiered system for how this extra money is handed out, and it’s important because it shows what the feds value most. If a state has an actual law guaranteeing these survivor rights, they qualify for the largest share—60 percent of the available funds. This is the top tier, rewarding states that commit to these protections through formal legislation. Below that, 25 percent of the funds go to states that have a regulation, practice, or policy in place. The final 15 percent is reserved for states that have any combination of rules that provide similar rights.

Think of it like this: a state legislature passing a formal law gets the biggest slice of the pie, while a state relying on internal police department policies or health department regulations gets a smaller slice. States can only qualify for one tier, which means there’s a strong financial push for states currently relying on policies to upgrade to formal law. For the everyday person, this means your state government is now financially motivated to pass laws that ensure survivors have clear rights, like the right to be present at certain proceedings or to be notified about case status.

Evidence Kits: Keeping the Receipts for 20 Years

Another major change focuses on the physical evidence collected after an assault—the evidence kit. Currently, federal law requires states to keep these kits for the maximum statute of limitations or 20 years, whichever is shorter. This bill changes the minimum retention period to a flat not less than 20 years. For survivors and law enforcement, this is a significant move toward ensuring evidence is available for decades, recognizing that many cases rely on later advances in forensic technology or are pursued years after the initial report.

Crucially, the bill also simplifies the process for survivors who want to keep track of their evidence. If a survivor wants to be notified before their kit is destroyed or wants to request extended storage, the bill removes the requirement for a formal “written request.” Now, a simple “request” is sufficient. This might seem like a small administrative detail, but for a survivor navigating a difficult process, removing bureaucratic hurdles like requiring notarized or formal written requests makes the system much more accessible and less intimidating.