West Virginia Code 15-9B-1 – Sexual Assault Forensic Examination Commission
(a) The Sexual Assault Forensic Examination Commission is continued as a subcommittee of the Governor’s Committee on Crime, Delinquency and Correction. The purpose of the commission is to establish, manage, and monitor a statewide system to facilitate the timely and efficient collection, submission, testing, retention, tracking, and disposition of forensic evidence in sexual assault cases. As used in this article, the word “commission” means the Sexual Assault Forensic Examination Commission.
Terms Used In West Virginia Code 15-9B-1
- commission: means the Sexual Assault Forensic Examination Commission. See West Virginia Code 15-9B-1
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Hospital: means a facility licensed pursuant to the provisions of §. See West Virginia Code 15-9B-1a
- State: when applied to a part of the United States and not restricted by the context, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories, and the words "United States" also include the said district and territories. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
- Victim advocate: work with prosecutors and assist the victims of a crime.
(b) Membership on the commission shall consist of the following:
(1) A representative chosen from the membership of the West Virginia Prosecuting Attorneys Association who shall be chosen by the president of that organization;
(2) A representative chosen from the membership of the West Virginia Association of Counties who shall be chosen by the executive director of that organization;
(3) The Commissioner of the Bureau for Public Health, or his or her designee;
(4) A representative from the State Police Forensic Laboratory who shall be chosen by the Superintendent of the West Virginia State Police;
(5) A representative from the membership of the West Virginia Child Advocacy Network;
(6) The President of the West Virginia Hospital Association, or his or her designee;
(7) A representative from the membership of the West Virginia Foundation for Rape and Information Services who shall be chosen by the state coordinator of that organization;
(8) A representative of the West Virginia University Forensic and Investigative Sciences Program who shall be chosen by the director of that program; and
(9) A representative of the Marshall University Forensic Science Center who shall be chosen by the director of that organization.
(c) If any of the representative organizations listed in subsection (b) of this section cease to exist, the director of the Division of Administrative Services, or his or her designee, may select a person from a similar organization.
(d) The director of the Division of Administrative Services, or his or her designee, shall appoint the following additional members of the commission:
(1) An emergency room physician licensed to practice and practicing medicine in this state;
(2) A victim advocate from a rape crisis center employed in this state;
(3) A sexual assault nurse examiner who is engaged in an active practice within this state;
(4) A law-enforcement officer in this state with experience in sexual assault investigations;
(5) A health care provider with pediatric and child abuse expertise licensed in this state; and
(6) A director of a child advocacy center licensed and operating in this state.
(e) The commission shall establish mandatory statewide protocols for conducting sexual assault forensic examinations, including designating locations and providers to perform forensic examinations, establishing minimum qualifications and procedures for performing forensic examinations, and establishing protocols to assure the proper collection of evidence.