A bipartisan group of state lawmakers wants state funding to clear the backlog of untested “rape kits” — evidence that medical professionals gather from victims of sexual assault which can be used by prosecutors. Republican Representative Marion O’Neill from Maple Lake says it means justice for thousands of women in Minnesota. O’Neill says, “We have an issue of serial rapists out among us, and the reason we do is because we’re not testing all the kits and connecting all the dots.”
Democratic Representative Kelly Moller from Shoreview says rape victims who undergo an examination — often a grueling and difficult process — deserve to have their kits tested. Bill sponsors say they don’t yet have an estimate of cost.