Va. Forensic Nursing Advisory Council; established.

The committee proposing the substitute changed from the Senate Committee for Courts of Justice to the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations, dated January 29, 2025 instead of January 22, 2025.

The bill number in the header changed from 25105497D to 25106396D, likely due to different tracking numbers for different committee versions.

Minor formatting and spacing changes were made throughout the document, including reorganization of header information and page numbering.

The effective date distinction in § 19.2-11.5 was removed (no longer distinguishing between July 1, 2025 and earlier effective dates).

The definition for 'Anonymous trace evidence collection kit' and 'Victim of strangulation' was removed from the definitions section.

The new § 19.2-11.6:1 regarding telehealth sexual assault forensic examinations was removed from the final version.

Establishes the Virginia Forensic Nursing Advisory Council with five members appointed by the Governor to review certification criteria, training curricula, and examiner qualifications.

Permits telehealth sexual assault forensic examinations when a sexual assault forensic examiner is not readily available for in-person examinations.

Requires the Coordinator to maintain a statewide list of available sexual assault forensic examiners, updated biannually, including locations, duty hours, and training program locations.

Adds new definitions for 'anonymous trace evidence collection kit' and 'trace evidence collection kit' related to strangulation victims, expanding forensic evidence collection options.

Updates effective dates for definitions section, with some definitions effective until July 1, 2025 and others effective July 1, 2025.

Established the Virginia Forensic Nursing Advisory Council as a five-member advisory board to review criteria, certification processes, and training programs for sexual assault forensic examiners

Created telehealth sexual assault forensic examination provisions allowing health care providers to conduct examinations when in-person examiners are not readily available

Added the Virginia Forensic Nursing Advisory Council as a required partner in the statewide sexual assault forensic nurse examiner training program

Added definition of 'anonymous trace evidence collection kit' for strangulation victims who elect not to report to law enforcement, expanding protection beyond sexual assault cases

Established a rebuttable presumption that physical evidence recovery kits collected during telehealth examinations are admissible as evidence

Removed provisions related to the Criminal Justice Services Board and replaced with references to the Board of Health for forensic examiner certification oversight