Texas House Passes Bill Allowing Drivers to Donate Money to Rape Kit Testing

[TexasTowelie]

This year, going to renew or apply for a license might just be how Texans can chip in to help move along rape kit testing across the state.

Lawmakers are considering a bill that would create a mechanism for people to donate a buck or more to the Department of Public Safety while they're renewing or applying for driver's licenses or IDs — money that would go toward rape kit testing. On Wednesday, the bill sailed through the Texas House and is on its way to the Senate.

The bill, House Bill 1729 by State Representative Victoria Neaves (D-Dallas), is intended to help various crime labs around the state eliminate backlogs in rape-kit testing so that rape victims don't have to wait as cases drag on and the accused can be brought to swift justice. The Legislative Budget Board estimates the bill would pool $1 million in donations every year, an estimate that's based on the amount of money people donated to veterans through a similar DPS program. DPS would then dish out the cash to various crime labs in need of extra resources to clear out backlogs.

Dr. Peter Stout, CEO and president of the Houston Forensic Science Center, said that, no matter the size of the grants, any amount would go a long way.

Read more: http://www.houstonpress.com/news/bill-allowing-people-to-donate-money-to-rape-kit-testing-at-dmv-passes-through-house-9331002

[unblock]

1. this seriously pisses me off!

ok, on the one hand, yeah, anything that leads to actually using this evidence and pursuing justice in those cases, that's a good thing,...


but it really pisses me off that people with a conscience are being used to cover for people without consciences.

this is exactly the sort of thing government, representing the entire community, should be fully funding.

at the point at which the lege is voting on a bill that has the government literally begging for money for something like this, that's the point at which the lege should say, hey, let's just pay for out of public funds.

this is too important. fund it with a special surtax if you have to.

ffs!

[Alice11111]

2. Hey, the Texas legislature did something good. That's news!