REFERENCE TITLE: sexual assault study committee

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-sixth Legislature

First Regular Session

2023

HB 2386

Introduced by

Representatives Hernandez M: Aguilar, Contreras L, Contreras P

An Act

establishing the sexual assault study committee.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Sexual assault study committee; membership; duties; report; delayed repeal

A. The sexual assault study committee is established consisting of:

1. Two members of the senate who are members of different political parties and who are appointed by the president of the senate.

2. Two members of the house of representatives who are members of different political parties and who are appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

3. The following members who are appointed by the president of the senate:

(a) A member who is a sexual assault survivor and who is a resident of this state.

(b) A member who is employed by a victims' rights office.

(c) A member who is employed by a nonprofit organization that works to provide services to victims of sexual violence and who has experience providing education and resources to victims of sexual violence.

(d) A member who has experience providing education and resources to survivors of sexual assault who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer.

(e) A member who is employed by a culturally specific Native American organization that provides services to Native American victims of sexual violence and who has experience providing education and resources to victims of sexual violence.

(f) A sheriff's deputy who is from a county with a population of more than one million persons.

(g) A member who represents a coalition in this state that seeks to end sexual and domestic violence and who has expertise in sexual assault responses.

4. The following members who are appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives:

(a) A peace officer who is employed by a city or town with a population of more than five hundred thousand persons.

(b) A peace officer who is employed by a tribal police department.

(c) A certified sexual assault forensic nurse examiner.

(d) A prosecutor who has experience prosecuting sexual assault crimes.

B. The legislature shall provide staff and support services to the study committee.  Members of the study committee are not eligible to receive compensation but are eligible for reimbursement of expenses pursuant to title 38, chapter 4, article 2, Arizona Revised Statutes.

C. The study committee shall:

1. Study state and federal laws that relate to sexual assault, including investigating, charging processes and sentencing sexual assault-related crimes.

2. Study current policies and practices of local, state and tribal law enforcement agencies and county attorneys that relate to investigating and prosecuting sexual assault-related crimes, including whether the entity has adequate financial and staffing resources for investigating and prosecuting sexual assault crimes and data related to sexual assault clearance rates, prosecution referrals and dispositions.

3. Analyze the current training that is provided to professionals who respond to sexual assault-related offenses, including any training provided by the Arizona peace officer standards and training board.

D. On or before December 1, 2024, the study committee shall submit a report regarding the committee's activities and recommendations to the governor, the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives and the chairpersons of the health and judiciary committees of the house of representatives and senate, or their successor committees, and shall provide a copy of the report to the secretary of state.

E. This section is repealed from and after June 30, 2025.