Sexual assault forensic examinations: reimbursement.

Existing law requires the Office of Emergency Services (OES) to establish a protocol for the examination and treatment of victims of sexual abuse and attempted sexual abuse, including child sexual abuse, and the collection and preservation of evidence therefrom. Existing law prohibits the costs incurred by a qualified health care professional, hospital, clinic, sexual assault forensic examination team, or other emergency medical facility for the medical evidentiary examination from being charged to a victim of the assault. Under existing law, the local law enforcement agency in whose jurisdiction the alleged offense was committed is required to reimburse the cost of a medical evidentiary examination within 60 days. Existing law authorizes the local law enforcement agency to seek reimbursement from OES, to be funded with specified federal funds, to offset the cost of conducting the medical evidentiary examination of a sexual assault victim who is undecided at the time of an examination whether to report to law enforcement. This bill would authorize the appropriate local law enforcement agency to seek reimbursement from OES, using the specified federal funds, for the cost of conducting the medical evidentiary examination of a sexual assault victim who has decided not to report the assault to law enforcement at the time of the examination. The bill would also authorize local law enforcement to seek, and would require OES to pay at an established rate, reimbursement for the cost of conducting the medical evidentiary examination of a sexual assault victim who has determined, at the time of the examination, to report the assault to law enforcement.