UConn Sex Assault Bill Clears Senate in Bipartisan Vote

Sexual assault forensic examinations will be conducted at UConn's Storrs campus under a bill moving through the General Assembly.

The Senate unanimously supported the legislation on Tuesday. It now moves to the House of Representatives.

Lawmakers said the idea for the bill came from UConn students, concerned the closest location for such exams is about 25 minutes away at Windham Hospital. There are currently six acute care hospitals with people trained to use so-called rape kits.

The bill also requires sexual assault forensic examiners receive 40 hours of classroom training and have knowledge of legal issues, such as chain of custody.

Last summer, UConn agreed to pay $1.3 million to settle a lawsuit by five women who alleged UConn did not take their claims of campus sexual assaults seriously.