Indy Standard

The Indiana House of Representatives has unanimously passed legislation introduced by State Representative Becky Cash aimed at addressing the backlog of untested rape kits in the state. The bill, known as House Bill 1413, seeks to establish a grant fund for the Indiana State Police (ISP) to obtain additional resources needed for processing these kits.

Currently, there are 600 untested rape kits in Indiana due to limited resources and funding, according to the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute and the ISP. Rep. Cash highlighted that "our crime labs are often unable to pay competitive wages, and the people working in these labs can get higher paying jobs elsewhere." She added that "without enough equipment in the labs, kits can take six to eight months to be processed. This backlog has lingered for too long, and it's time we do something to ensure these Hoosiers receive justice."

The proposed funds would be allocated towards purchasing equipment, processing the kits more efficiently, covering costs associated with reducing processing times, and offering competitive wages for technicians. The grant program would require funding through the state's next biennial budget.

Additionally, the legislation mandates that ISP provide an annual report on any remaining untested or pending kits from the backlog. It also requires that all rape kits in possession of law enforcement and testing labs as of July 1, 2025, be processed before the end of next year.

House Bill 1413 now proceeds to the Senate for further consideration. More information about the bill is available at iga.in.gov.