(Anita Hassan, Houston Chronicle)
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn has introduced legislation that would help clear the staggering number of untested rape kits in Houston Police storage – some 6,663 at the agency’s last count – and help eliminate a nationwide backlog.
During a Wednesday news conference, city and police officials along with victims’ rights advocates pledged support for the Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence Registry or SAFER Act, bipartisan legislation intended to reduce what is an estimated national rape kit backlog of nearly 400,000.
Houston Mayor Annise Parker said the city receives between receive $800,000 and $900,000 grant money for kit testing. If passed, the legislation would allow the federal government to allot at least an extra $100,000 to HPD for kit testing and also allow the department to compete for a portion of $7 million to $9 million in grants, she said.
…Current laws require 40 percent of funds allocated to state and local governments be used for testing of untested DNA evidence. The SAFER Act would increase that to 75 percent, Cornyn said. (Read more at the Houston Chronicle)
MORE: Victim Speaks Out About Rape Kit Processing Backlog (KHOU 11 News)
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