Ducey signs bill ensuring sex crime victims don’t pay medical exam costs, but makes no exemptions for rape, incest in new abortion bill

KNAU News Talk - Arizona Public Radio | By KNAU STAFF

For 25 years, the federal Violence Against Women Act has required any state that wants to be eligible for certain federal grants to certify that the state covers the cost of medical forensic exams for people who have been sexually assaulted.

Governor Doug Ducey today signed legislation to ensure victims of sex crimes are not charged for any part of the medical or forensic examination related to the crime.

Senate Bill 1593 prohibits health care institutions from charging an intake, consultation, facility or other fee to a patient as part of a medical and forensic interview or examination for a sexual assault. It also prohibits health care institutions from billing a sexual assault patient seeking care either directly or through a billing company. That’s according to a press release from Ducey’s office.

Additionally, the bill expands the list of sexual offenses for which counties are required to pay for medical and forensic examinations to include additional sexual crimes against victims ages 15 to 17 that were not included in the prior statute.

Each county must also publish on its website the name of the county official who is responsible for paying the expenses for any medical or forensic examination.

The Governor also recently signed a law banning abortions after 15 weeks which makes no exemptions for victims of rape or incest.