SEXUAL ASSAULT EXAM KIT TASK FORCE

SM 17
Page 1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
A MEMORIAL
REQUESTING THAT THE SECRETARY OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NEW MEXICO COALITION OF SEXUAL
ASSAULT PROGRAMS CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO STUDY THE CURRENT
STATE OF SEXUAL ASSAULT EXAMINATION KITS IN NEW MEXICO AND
REPORT PROGRESS ON THE PROCESSING OF BACKLOGGED SEXUAL
ASSAULT EXAMINATION KITS.
WHEREAS, according to the 2024 New Mexico Crime
Victimization Report, fifty-four percent of all New Mexicans
have experienced sexual assault or rape in their lifetimes;
and
WHEREAS, of those surveyed, forty percent reported being
twelve years or younger at the time of the first incident;
and
WHEREAS, twenty-eight percent of respondents to the
New Mexico Crime Victimization Report survey reported being
injured to the extent of receiving medical care; and
WHEREAS, respondents of color were more likely than
white, non-Hispanic respondents to have been sexually
assaulted; and
WHEREAS, New Mexico has implemented processes to address
its sexual assault examination kit backlog and seeks to
ensure that another backlog does not form; and
WHEREAS, a sexual assault survivor has the opportunity
SM 17
Page 2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
to receive information about the status of the sexual assault
survivor's sexual assault examination kit; and
WHEREAS, it has been ten years since the last sexual
assault examination kit backlog task force was convened;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE
STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the secretary of public safety and
the executive director of the New Mexico coalition of sexual
assault programs be requested to convene a task force to
study the current state of sexual assault examination kits in
New Mexico and report progress on the processing of
backlogged sexual assault examination kits; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be composed
of:
A. the secretary of public safety or the
secretary's designee;
B. the executive director of the New Mexico
coalition of sexual assault programs or the executive
director's designee;
C. the state auditor or the state auditor's
designee;
D. the attorney general or the attorney general's
designee;
E. the director of a rape crisis center that
serves a community with a population of one hundred thousand
or greater;
SM 17
Page 3
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
F. the director of a rape crisis center that
serves a community with a population of less than one hundred
thousand;
G. the director of a sexual assault nurse examiner
program that serves a community with a population of one
hundred thousand or greater;
H. the director of a sexual assault nurse examiner
program that serves a community with a population of less
than one hundred thousand;
I. the director of the department of public
safety's forensic laboratories bureau;
J. the sexual assault kit initiative program
coordinator in the department of public safety;
K. the director of the Albuquerque police
department's crime laboratory; and
L. the statewide sexual assault nurse examiner
coordinator; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the secretary of public
safety or the secretary's designee and the executive director
of the New Mexico coalition of sexual assault programs or the
executive director's designee serve as co-chairs of the task
force; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force meet
beginning in July 2026; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force report to the
SM 17
Page 4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
interim legislative committee dealing with courts,
corrections and justice issues and to the legislative health
and human services committee with the task force's
recommendations and updates on:
A. statewide progress made in processing sexual
assault examination kits to meet the time line defined in
Section 30-9-21 NMSA 1978;
B. the adequacy of services available to survivors
who are affected by the processing of sexual assault
examination kits;
C. potential solutions identified by the task
force to any current challenges in the processing of sexual
assault examination kits; and
D. any legislation the task force recommends for
introduction; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be
transmitted to the secretary of public safety, the executive
director of the New Mexico coalition of sexual assault
programs, the attorney general, the director of the department
of public safety's forensic laboratories bureau, the director
of the Albuquerque police department's crime laboratory and
the statewide sexual assault nurse examiner coordinator.