A bill that addresses how D.C. police handle sexual assault cases and treat survivors of sexual assault passed a vote by the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety today.

The Sexual Assault Victims Rights Amendment Act of 2013, which was introduced by Councilmember Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6) last year, provides sexual assault victims with certain rights when police are handling their cases. According to a release, the bill will:

• Provides sexual assault victims the right to have an advocate present during hospital exams and police interviews;
• Provides sexual assault victims the right to information about their rape kits and toxicology reports – and requires those samples be processed within 90 days;
• Provides sexual assault victims who request notification to be told when MPD has contacted the suspect, so that the victim can make a safety plan, if necessary;
• Codifies the Sexual Assault Response Team, operated through the Office of Victim Services, and requires this team to conduct continual case review, which will allow systemic problems to be identified and remedied;
• Requires an independent consultant to review and assess MPD policies, practices, and training, to ensure MPD is implementing best practices;
• Establishes a short-term task force to explore best practices and make recommendations about further reforms to the system, including an effective system for complaints.

At today’s Committee hearing, survivors and advocates—including members of the D.C. Rape Crisis Center, Collective Action D.C., Women’s Collective, Collective Action for Safe Spaces, and the D.C. National Organization for Women—testified in support of Wells’ bill.

“This bill significantly expands protections, support and advocacy for sexual assault survivors in the District of Columbia. What’s more, the bill ensures consistent evaluation of best practices so that the District can continually improve survivor services. This bill was built from the inspiring and tremendously brave testimony of countless survivors and advocate organizations, and I thank them for all of their work,” Wells said in a release.

Next, the Sexual Assault Victims Rights Amendment Act of 2013 will head to the Council’s Committee of the Whole for two readings and two final votes, before it can be passed on to the mayor to be signed into law.