HB 31-SEXUAL ASSAULT EXAMINATION KITS  3:12:32 PM CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS announced that the first order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 31, "An Act requiring the Department of Public Safety to develop a tracking system and collection and processing protocol for sexual assault examination kits; requiring law enforcement agencies to send sexual assault examination kits for testing within 18 months after collection; requiring an inventory and reports on untested sexual assault examination kits; and providing for an effective date." 3:13:01 PM REPRESENTATIVE GERAN TARR, Alaska State Legislature, as prime sponsor of HB 31, referred to information from the Department of Public Safety (DPS) that was provided in the committee packet and explained that the "untested kits" are the 100-plus [sexual assault examination] kits sent to the DPS Scientific Crime Detection Laboratory ("the crime lab") for processing. She went on to say the "backlog" comprises 3,600 untested kits, which will be tested using U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) funds. REPRESENTATIVE TARR responded to a concern brought forward by Keeley Olson, Executive Director, Standing Together Against Rape (STAR), during the House State Affairs Standing Committee meeting of 2/2/17, regarding anonymous victim reporting. Representative Tarr attested that nothing in HB 31 would interfere with the provision of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) [of 1994], which allows a victim to have a rape kit be collected and retained until such time the victim wishes to pursue a criminal case. She noted that biological evidence needs to be collected within 90 hours to be usable. 3:14:43 PM REPRESENTATIVE BIRCH asked if all of the 3,600 kits need to be processed, or if some will be held back for legal reasons. He asked for clarification relating to the limitations, the anonymity, and the chain of custody requirements. REPRESENTATIVE TARR said the kits are handled as evidence, as in any criminal case, and chain of [custody] is maintained while the kits are in possession of law enforcement. She stated that for anonymous victim reporting in Anchorage, STAR would retain possession of the kits because the victim is not pursuing criminal charges. 3:16:22 PM REPRESENTATIVE LEDOUX moved to report HB 31 out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, HB 31 was reported out of the House State Affairs Standing Committee.