RSB/2/20
Sponsored by Sarah Deweese, Sasha Kozimor of Franklin High School
This legislation was filed in the Human Services category
Presented as part of the YIG Volunteer 2024 conference
| 1 | BE IT ENACTED BY THE TENNESSEE YMCA YOUTH IN GOVERNMENT |
| 2 | Section 1. |
| 3 | Sexual Assault - sexual contact or behavior that occurs without explicit consent of the victim. |
| 4 | Rape - type of sexual assault involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration |
| 5 | carried out against a person without explicit consent. |
| 6 | Counseling - the provision of assistance and guidance in resolving personal or social difficulties. |
| 7 | Counselors - a person who gives advice, counseling, and/or guidance. |
| 8 | Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) - this law protects sensitive patient |
| 9 | health information from being disclosed without the patient’s consent or knowledge. |
| 10 | Advocates - a person who works and argues in support of another’s cause. |
| 11 | Social Workers - a person whose job is to help people who have social disadvantages or personal |
| 12 | problems. |
| 13 | Child Protective Services (CPS) - branch of the social services department that is responsible for |
| 14 | providing protection for children who are at risk of, or are experiencing neglect, physical, sexual, |
| 15 | or emotional abuse. |
| 16 | |
| 17 | Section 2. |
| 18 | The establishment of regional sexual assault centers to focus on the treatment of and aid for |
| 19 | victims of sexual assault or violence. These centers would include counseling for any victim from a |
| 20 | professional that specializes in sexual assault cases. These counseling sessions would be free of |
| 21 | charge with the goal being to eventually help the individual find another specialist outside of the |
| 22 | center. Basic medical aid would be provided -- such as aid that could be administered from a first |
| 23 | aid kit. Any further medical assistance would require a hospital to allow a professional to treat the |
| 24 | injury. These centers would include advocates that would help support and advise the individual |
| 25 | through any processes or paths they decide to take. An advocate would be supplied if the |
| 26 | individual wanted to file a police report or take legal action against their attacker. The advocate |
| 27 | goes with the victim to the police station to provide support as well as help where necessary -- this |
| 28 | would also apply to legal action. There would be a minimum of one center per county in |
| 29 | Tennessee. The centers would be open 24/7 and would follow HIPAA regulations, and would |
| 30 | employ a team of advocates/social workers and counselors. These centers would also be in contact |
| 31 | with CPS, police stations, schools, and other areas that could work in tandem with the centers to |
| 32 | provide the best care possible and reach the most people. |
| 33 | |
| 34 | Section 3. |
| 35 | The cost will be $66,500,000, which includes the building costs of these centers, salaries, utilities, |
| 36 | and misc. supplies (first aid kits, computers, landline phones, beds, ect.) for the first year. Each |
| 37 | following year it will cost $41,610,000 to maintain the centers. Funding will be provided by the |
| 38 | State. |
| 39 | |
| 40 | Section 4. |
| 41 | This bill will work in tandem with the current HB1380/SB1111; commonly referred to as Mature |
| 42 | Minor Doctrine. This bill will supersede any previous or conflicting state legislation pertaining to |
| 43 | regional centers focused on aid for sexual assault victims. |
| 44 | |
| 45 | Section 5. |
| 46 | This bill shall take effect at the start of 2025; this is the start of building the centers and hiring, |
| 47 | the goal is for the centers to be operating by the start of 2027. |
| 48 |