Report Child Sexual Assault & Courtroom Testimony

The bill requires a law enforcement entity that receives a report alleging an offense involving sexual assault or abuse of a child to contact notify a child advocacy center within the judicial district where the alleged crime occurred, or the nearest child advocacy center if the judicial district where the alleged crime occurred does not have a another appropriate child advocacy center, within 24 hours one week after taking the report. The law enforcement entity is required to collaborate with the child advocacy center in requesting a forensic interview for the alleged child victim if the law enforcement entity deems a forensic interview is necessary and appropriate.      

The bill creates a rebuttable presumption that requires a judge to make findings on the record regarding a witness who is a child or a person who has an intellectual and developmental disability, specifically, if the witness will suffer serious emotional distress or trauma from courtroom testimony when the defendant is present.

(Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.)

(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)