WEST virginia legislature

2024 regular session

Introduced

Senate Bill 343

By Senators Woelfel, Deeds, Takubo, and Woodrum

[Introduced January 12, 2024; referred
to the Committee on Health and Human Resources; and then to the Committee on Finance]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §18B-4-11, relating to requiring state institutions of higher education, to the extent feasible, to provide to their students without charge and in a manner that protects student confidentiality, transportation to and from a local hospital for a trained health care provider to administer a sexual assault forensic medical examination kit where a student seeks support after experiencing sexual violence.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 4. GENERAL ADMINISTRATION.

§18B-4-11. Medical examinations transportation services for students who seek support after experiencing sexual violence.

(a) Commencing with the 2025–2026 academic school year, state institutions of higher education shall, to the extent practicable and necessary, provide to students who request and are eligible to receive a sexual assault forensic medical examination, transportation to and from a local hospital for a trained health care provider to administer a sexual assault forensic medical examination kit. All of the following shall apply to the provision of transportation services, to the extent practicable.

(b) Transportation shall be provided without charge and in a manner that protects student safety and confidentiality.

(c) Transportation may include, but is not limited to, transportation by any of the following, if the student agrees to the transportation:

(1) Staff member of a rape crisis center, or community-based organization.

(2) Staff member on campus of the state institution of higher education.

(3) Ride share services.

(4) Law enforcement.

(A) This subdivision does not require a student to accept transportation by law enforcement. Campuses of state institutions of higher education shall establish at least one option for transportation that is not in a law enforcement vehicle.

(d) The requirement shall be as uniform among the state institutions of higher education as is practicable and shall take into consideration the unique conditions or circumstances of each institution.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require state intuitions of higher education, to the extent feasible, to provide to their students without charge and in a manner that protects student confidentiality, transportation to and from a local hospital for a trained health care provider to administer a sexual assault forensic medical examination kit where a student seeks support after experiencing sexual violence.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.