Compassionate Care One of Three Bills to Pass in Two Days!

January 22nd and 23rd brought State Senate and Assembly passage of three important bills for survivors of sexual assault.

On Tuesday, January 22nd, the State Senate unanimously passed the the Strangulation Prevention Enforcement Act. The bill will allow law enforcement to better recognize and prosecute acts of strangulation. The Assembly already passed the measure in December.

In the Assembly, Wednesday, January 23rd saw final passage of both the Compassionate Care for Rape Victims Bill and a bill that will protect child victims therapy records from unnecessary disclosure. Both bills were previously approved in the Senate.

WCASA has been working for passage of the Compassionate Care Bill for six years. The bill will require Wisconsin emergency rooms to provide victims with information about emergency contraception and dispense it to them upon request. Representatives Terry Musser and Mark Pocan and Senator Judy Robson lead a bipartisan group of legislators to ensure that the bill will be signed by the Governor in the coming months.

The other bill to pass Wednesday will restore confidential patient-therapist privilege for child victims of sexual assault. Legislative action was needed after the Wisconsin Supreme Court, in the Denis L.R. case, enlarged an exception to this confidential privilege beyond what was originally intended and is necessary.