SB69 Alabama 2020 Session

Updated Feb 26, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Cam Ward
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2020
Title: Sexual assault, provide for victim notification, provide for certain rights to victims, Sexual Assault Task Force, created, Sexual Assault Survivors Bill of Rights
Summary: This bill creates a Sexual Assault Survivors Bill of Rights, requires written notification of those rights, preserves evidence kits for long periods, and creates a Sexual Assault Task Force to improve care and handling of evidence.
What This Bill Does
It grants specific rights to sexual assault survivors, including access to medical forensic exams without being charged, long-term preservation of evidence kits, and the right to receive certain information about test results and kit policies. It requires the Attorney General to develop a survivor notification document with resources and procedures. It also creates a Sexual Assault Task Force to develop and promote best practices for care of survivors and preservation of forensic evidence, with diverse membership and a requirement to report findings within two years.

Who It Affects
Sexual assault survivors and victims, who gain defined rights, information access, and longer protection of their evidence kit contents.
Law enforcement agencies and prosecutors, which must inform survivors of rights and preserve kit contents, and participate in the task force.
Hospitals, medical facilities, forensic examiners, and other medical providers, which will implement and follow best practices and provide information to survivors.
State entities including the Attorney General, Governor, District Attorneys Association, Department of Forensic Sciences, and medical and victim advocacy groups, which will establish and support the notification document and the task force.

Key Provisions
Survivor rights include: not being blocked or charged for a medical forensic examination; preservation of a sexual assault evidence collection kit for at least 20 years (or until the survivor is age 40 if they were a minor at the time of assault); access to test results and other collected information if disclosure does not hinder an ongoing investigation; written notification of kit policies; written notice before destruction of the kit at least 60 days in advance; and possible additional preservation for another 20 years.
The Attorney General must develop a survivor notification document outlining rights, available advocacy, protective orders, kit policies, how to request preservation, how to obtain test results, and information on victim compensation and restitution; this document will be provided by law enforcement or medical providers and posted publicly.
The act creates a Sexual Assault Task Force with diverse appointees from state offices, prosecution, forensics, medicine, and victim representatives; the task force will develop and promote best practices for survivor care and evidence preservation, coordinate with various agencies, and submit a findings report within two years.
The act becomes effective on the first day of the third month after passage.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 23, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: Sexual Assault Victims