Trump sings bill to eliminate rape kit backlog News
(Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead)
Trump sings bill to eliminate rape kit backlog

US President Trump on Monday signed a bill that will help eliminate rape kit backlogs throughout the country.

HR 777, also known as the Debbie Smith Reauthorization Act, authorizes up to $151,000,000 in funding per year to state and local governments to process and test DNA evidence.

The Act renews the Debbie Smith Act, which had expired at the end of 2019. The initial Debbie Smith Act was enacted in 2004 and had been reauthorized twice (in 2008 and 2014) before this latest reauthorization.

Unlike the original Debbie Smith Act, the Debbie Smith Reauthorization Act prioritizes testing of DNA evidence in rape kits. The Act aims to eliminate the backlog of untested and unanalyzed DNA evidence in rape kits, thus ensuring that sexual assault perpetrators are prosecuted.

The Act also funds DNA training and education programs and is valid until 2024.

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