Bill pending in Nevada Legislature would help victims of sexual assault

Is it possible that our state legislators, in their infinite wisdom, will choose not to support Assembly Bill 97, dealing with the timely processing of rape kits? Clearly this would be a black mark against all our elected officials if victims of rape and sexual assault can’t get the justice they deserve and to which they are entitled.

What I would add to AB 97 would be that testing must be done within 48 hours of a reported attack in which DNA has been acquired. It takes days to get the results. Too many of these sex crimes go unpunished because of the perception of how law enforcement and our elected officials treat the victims. But law enforcement can do only so much.

Our elected officials need to provide the tools to law enforcement to clear these cases as quickly as possible and to dispense justice. Those elected officials who do not support AB 97 convey the impression that sexual assault and rape victims don’t matter. Shame on all of those who oppose AB 97.