Briel Prohibits Deceptive Sales Targeting Assault Survivors in New Law

OTTAWA, Ill. – A new law passed recently will better protect survivors of sexual violence, thanks to legislation led by state Rep. Amy “Murri” Briel, D-Ottawa, that prohibits non-medical professionals from selling, marketing, promoting, advertising, or distributing a self-administered sexual assault evidence collection kit to Illinois consumers.

“This new law corks an alarming trend where any person on the street can advertise at home sexual assault evidence collection kits as an alternative to a medical forensic exam. This type of marketing and promotion is egregiously deceptive to survivors of sexual assault, who may turn to these kits instead of seeking real medical aid,” said Briel.

Briel’s House Bill 2548 creates the Self-Administered Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kit Ban Act. The act states that any person other than a medical professional may not sell or distribute self-adminstered sexual assault evidence collection kits to consumers, including promoting or marketing of any kind, in order to limit deceptive misinformation for survivors of sexual assault.

“When we bar non-professionals from promoting these kits, we encourage survivors to seek professional medical help while ultimately getting more offenders off the streets and brought to justice,” said Briel. “This new law makes it less likely for offenders to re-offend and allows survivors to have their voices heard — untampered.”

The legislation was signed into law on August 15 and goes into effect January 1, 2026.