| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to sexual battery; creating s. 794.052, |
| 3 | F.S.; requiring each law enforcement officer who |
| 4 | investigates an alleged sexual battery incident to assist |
| 5 | the victim in obtaining necessary medical treatment, a |
| 6 | forensic examination, and crisis-intervention services; |
| 7 | requiring the law enforcement officer to immediately |
| 8 | notify the victim of the legal rights and remedies |
| 9 | available to a victim of sexual battery; directing that |
| 10 | the notice of rights and remedies be written on a standard |
| 11 | notice form developed and distributed by the Florida |
| 12 | Council Against Sexual Violence and the Department of Law |
| 13 | Enforcement; requiring the notice to include certain |
| 14 | information; providing an effective date. |
| 15 |
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| 16 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 17 |
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| 18 | Section 1. Section 794.052, Florida Statutes, is created |
| 19 | to read: |
| 20 | 794.052 Sexual battery; notification of victim's rights |
| 21 | and services.-- |
| 22 | (1) A law enforcement officer who investigates an alleged |
| 23 | sexual battery shall: |
| 24 | (a) Assist the victim in obtaining medical treatment, if |
| 25 | medical treatment is necessary as a result of the alleged |
| 26 | incident, a forensic examination, and advocacy and crisis- |
| 27 | intervention services from a certified rape crisis center. |
| 28 | (b) Advise the victim that he or she may contact a |
| 29 | certified rape crisis center from which the victim may receive |
| 30 | services. |
| 31 | (2) The law enforcement officer shall give the victim |
| 32 | immediate notice of the legal rights and remedies available to a |
| 33 | victim on a standard form developed and distributed by the |
| 34 | Florida Council Against Sexual Violence in conjunction with the |
| 35 | Department of Law Enforcement. The notice must include the |
| 36 | resource listing, including telephone number, for the area |
| 37 | certified rape crisis center as designated by the Florida |
| 38 | Council Against Sexual Violence. |
| 39 | Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2009. |