Slaughter-Backed Measure Empowering Sexual Assault Survivors is Now Law

CHICAGO – A measure backed by state Rep. Justin Slaughter, D-Chicago, to help sexual assault survivors better navigate the justice system is now the law in Illinois.

“For far too long, a broken criminal justice system has marginalized survivors of sexual assault and left them behind,” Slaughter said. “In Illinois, we’ve worked to ensure victims of violent crime have a stronger voice in the justice system and that their rights are protected.”

Slaughter backed House Bill 1739, which was recently signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker, to require authorities to inform sexual assault survivors about the Illinois State Police’s sexual assault evidence kit tracking system. That system, called CheckPoint, was created as a result of recommendations from the state’s Sexual Assault Evidence Tracking and Reporting Commission, which Slaughter helped create by backing Public Act 100-0336 in 2017. CheckPoint allows sexual assault survivors to track their evidence kits throughout the criminal justice process from collection to testing to a prosecutor’s office. The new law requires survivors to be given notification of the system when an evidence kit is collected from them either by a health care provider or a law enforcement official.

“Informing sexual assault survivors about their right to be able to track their evidence kit is the latest example of Illinois’ work to improve the criminal justice system,” Slaughter said. “I’m proud to stand with my colleagues and Gov. Pritzker to ensure that victims of violent crime are treated with the respect and care they deserve.”