LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 1017, as amended, Portantino. Sexual assault crimes.
Existing law, the Sexual Assault Victims' DNA Bill of Rights,
authorizes a law enforcement agency investigating certain felony sex
offenses, upon the request of the victim, and subject to the
commitment of resources, to inform the victim whether or not a DNA
profile was obtained from the testing of the rape kit evidence or
other crime scene evidence from the case, whether or not that
information has been entered into the Department of Justice Data Bank
of case evidence, and whether or not there is a match between the
DNA profile developed from the rape kit evidence or other crime scene
evidence and a DNA profile contained in the Department of Justice
Convicted Offender DNA Data Base, as specified. Existing law also
requires that the victim be given written notification by the law
enforcement agency if the law enforcement agency elects not to
perform DNA testing of the rape kit evidence or other crime scene
evidence, or intends to destroy or dispose of the rape kit evidence
or other crime scene evidence prior to the expiration of the statute
of limitations, as specified. Existing law provides that the sole
civil or criminal remedy available to a sexual assault victim for a
law enforcement agency's failure to fulfill its responsibilities
under the Sexual Assault Victims' DNA Bill of Rights is standing to
file a writ of mandamus to require compliance with these notification
provisions.
This bill would require local law enforcement agencies responsible
for taking or processing rape kit evidence to annually report
to the Department of Justice statistical information pertaining
to the number processing of rape kits
received, tested, and destroyed, to the Department of
Justice , as specified. The reports received would be
subject to inspection under the California Public Records Act. These
provisions would become inoperative on July 1, 2015, and would be
repealed on January 1, 2016.
By imposing additional reporting duties on local law enforcement
agencies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local
agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates
determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state,
reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these
statutory provisions.

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Comments/questions on AB 1017 (Brownley and Portantino): Sexual assault crimes.