SR 359

As Introduced
136th General Assembly
    Regular Session  S. R. No. 359
       2025-2026
  Senator Reynolds
  A RESOLUTION
  To urge the Supreme Court of Ohio and the Ohio judicial   1
  system to encourage remote appearances of sexual      2
  assault nurse examiners in sexual assault trials so   3
  that sexual assault nurse examiners can spend less    4
  time in courtrooms and more time providing valuable   5
  services to victims of sexual assault.  6
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
    WHEREAS, Sexual assault is a profound trauma with lasting        7
effects; and  8
    WHEREAS, Approximately fifty per cent of rape victims go on      9
to develop PTSD, which is higher than the rates of most other        10
groups exposed to trauma, including frontline soldiers and  11
survivors of terrorist attacks, and this PTSD is associated with     12
long-term health deterioration, including elevated risk for  13
cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and some cancers; and  14
    WHEREAS, The estimated lifetime cost of rape for a victim,       15
including medical costs, lost work, and mental health costs is       16
over $122,000; and  17
    WHEREAS, Research shows that the majority of sexual  18
assaults are committed by people who offend repeatedly, across       19
time, often undetected or uncharged; and  20
    WHEREAS, Survivors who receive care from trained, trauma-        21
S. R. No. 359  Page 2
As Introduced
informed professionals are more likely to complete forensic  22
exams, cooperate in legal processes, seek ongoing healthcare,  23
and are less likely to experience secondary trauma; and  24
      WHEREAS, Care by a sexual assault nurse examiner is  25
critical to the healing process and law enforcement  26
investigations; and  27
      WHEREAS, Lack of access to care by a sexual assault nurse  28
examiner also results in crucial evidence being lost each hour  29
of delay, as injuries go untreated, and evidence, such as DNA or  30
substances in bloodstream degrades; and  31
      WHEREAS, The inability of a sexual assault nurse examiner  32
to be on call twenty-four hours a day has led to severe coverage  33
gaps, which results in victims not receiving sexual assault  34
nurse examiner services or substantially delayed services; and  35
      WHEREAS, The 2021 Supreme Court of Ohio Task Force on  36
Improving Court Operations Using Remote Technology ("Supreme  37
Court of Ohio Task Force") found that allowing remote  38
appearances incentivizes participants to appear at court by  39
reducing travel costs and allowing participants to take less  40
time off of work; and  41
      WHEREAS, The Supreme Court of Ohio Task Force found that  42
there are many benefits of remote appearances; now therefore be  43
it  44
      RESOLVED, That we, the members of the Ohio Senate of the  45
136th General Assembly, find that ensuring sexual assault nurse  46
examiner services remain available for as long as possible is an  47
important state interest; and be it further  48
      RESOLVED, That we, the members of the Ohio Senate of the  49
136th General Assembly, find that it is the public policy of the  50
State of Ohio that any unnecessary delay of specialized care for  51
sexual assault victims is contrary to the interests of Ohioans;  52
S. R. No. 359  Page 3
As Introduced
and be it further  53
      RESOLVED, That we, the members of the Ohio Senate of the  54
136th General Assembly, hereby urge the Supreme Court of Ohio  55
and the Ohio judicial system to recognize the important state  56
interest and public policy stated herein when evaluating the  57
necessity of requiring in-person testimony for hearings which  58
would prevent a sexual assault nurse examiner from being able to  59
provide immediate care; and be it further  60
      RESOLVED, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit duly  61
authenticated copies of this resolution to the Chief Justice of  62
the Supreme Court of Ohio and all members of the Supreme Court  63
of Ohio.  64