Military SAFE Standards Act - Requires sexual assault forensic examiners (SAFEs) for the Armed Forces to be members of the Armed Forces and civilian personnel of the Department of Defense (DOD) or the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) who are physicians, nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, physician assistants, or registered nurses. Permits an independent duty corpsman or equivalent to be assigned as a SAFE if the assignment of such a physician, assistant, or nurse is impracticable.
Directs the DOD and DHS Secretaries to: (1) assign at least one SAFE at each military medical treatment facility in the United States and overseas; or (2) enter into agreements with facilities with appropriate resources for the provision of sexual assault forensic examinations for the Armed Forces. Requires at least one SAFE to be assigned to each naval vessel.
Requires the Secretary concerned to establish a SAFE certification program that includes training in sexual assault forensic examinations.
[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2703 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2703
To establish eligibility, assignment, training, and certification
requirements for sexual assault forensic examiners for the Armed
Forces, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 30, 2014
Mrs. Boxer (for herself and Ms. Collins) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish eligibility, assignment, training, and certification
requirements for sexual assault forensic examiners for the Armed
Forces, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Military SAFE Standards Act''.
SEC. 2. REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO SEXUAL ASSAULT FORENSIC EXAMINERS FOR
THE ARMED FORCES.
(a) Personnel Eligible for Assignment.--
(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the
individuals who may be assigned to duty as a sexual assault
forensic examiner (SAFE) for the Armed Forces shall be members
of the Armed Forces and civilian personnel of the Department of
Defense or Department of Homeland Security who are as follows:
(A) Physicians.
(B) Nurse practitioners.
(C) Nurse midwives.
(D) Physician assistants.
(E) Registered nurses.
(2) Independent duty corpsmen.--An independent duty
corpsman or equivalent may be assigned to duty as a sexual
assault forensic examiner for the Armed Forces if the
assignment of an individual specified in paragraph (1) is
impracticable.
(b) Availability of Examiners.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary concerned shall ensure the
availability of an adequate number of sexual assault forensic
examiners for the Armed Forces through the following:
(A) Assignment of at least one sexual assault
forensic examiner at each military medical treatment
facility under the jurisdiction of such Secretary,
whether in the United States or overseas.
(B) If assignment as described in subparagraph (A)
is infeasible or impracticable, entry into agreements
with facilities, whether Governmental or otherwise,
with appropriate resources for the provision of sexual
assault forensic examinations, for the provision of
sexual assault forensic examinations for the Armed
Forces.
(2) Naval vessels.--The Secretary concerned shall ensure
the availability of an adequate number of sexual assault
forensic examiners for naval vessels through the assignment of
at least one sexual assault forensic examiner for each naval
vessel.
(c) Training and Certification.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary concerned shall establish
and maintain, and update when appropriate, a training and
certification program for sexual assault forensic examiners
under the jurisdiction of such Secretary. The training and
certification programs shall apply uniformly to all sexual
assault forensic examiners under the jurisdiction of the
Secretaries.
(2) Elements.--Each training and certification program
under this subsection shall include the following:
(A) Training in sexual assault forensic
examinations by qualified personnel who possess--
(i) a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner--
adolescent/adult (SANE-A) certification or
equivalent certification; or
(ii) training and clinical or forensic
experience in sexual assault forensic
examinations similar to that required for a
certification described in clause (i).
(B) A minimum of 40 hours of coursework for
participants in sexual assault forensic examinations of
adults and adolescents.
(C) Ongoing examinations and evaluations on sexual
assault forensic examinations.
(D) Clinical mentoring.
(E) Continuing education.
(3) Nature of training.--The training provided under each
training and certification program under this subsection shall
incorporate and reflect current best practices and standards on
sexual assault forensic examinations.
(4) Applicability of training requirements.--An individual
may not be assigned to duty as a sexual assault forensic
examiner for the Armed Forces after the date that is one year
after the date of the enactment of this Act unless the
individual has completed all training required under the
training and certification program under this subsection at the
time of assignment.
(5) Sense of congress on certification.--It is the sense of
Congress that each participant who successfully completes all
training required under the certification and training program
under this subsection should obtain a Sexual Assault Nurse
Examiner--adolescent/adult certification or equivalent
certification by not later than five years after completion of
such training.
(6) Examiners under agreements.--Any individual providing
sexual assault forensic examinations for the Armed Forces under
an agreement under subsection (b)(1)(B) shall possess training
and experience equivalent to the training and experience
required under the training and certification program under
this subsection.
(d) Secretary Concerned Defined.--In this section, the term
``Secretary concerned'' means--
(1) the Secretary of Defense with respect to matters
concerning the Department of Defense; and
(2) the Secretary of Homeland Security with respect to
matters concerning the Coast Guard when it is not operating as
a service in the Navy.
(e) Repeal of Superseded Requirements.--Section 1725 of the
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 (Public Law
113-66; 127 Stat. 971) is amended by striking subsection (b) (10 U.S.C.
1561 note).
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
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