State Rep. Kathy Schmaltz today voted in favor of a plan to offer more support to sexual assault survivors and strengthen efforts to bring their abusers to justice.
The legislation is part of an ongoing effort to improve the system in response to shortcomings uncovered by the investigation into assaults committed by Larry Nassar. The latest proposals would improve standards related to the retention of medical records and provide more consequences for those who break the law.
“We have a duty not only to support survivors of sexual assault but to amplify their voices and ensure they are never silenced,” said Schmaltz, R-Jackson. “The young women who showed so much strength bringing Larry Nassar to justice also helped identify areas where our laws are lacking. We owe it to them to fix these problems and ensure that people who violate others are swiftly brought to justice.”
House Bills 4120-25 would:
- Prohibit people in professional positions of authority from using their authority to prevent others from reporting criminal sexual conduct or child abuse.
- Prohibit schools from expelling or suspending a student who reports being a victim of sexual assault.
- Require the permanent loss of a medical license for anyone convicted of sexual misconduct under the pretext of medical treatment.
- Provide sentencing guidelines for physicians intentionally failing to maintain medical records for certain invasive procedures.
- Distribute training materials to mandatory reporters of suspected child abuse or neglect.
Each of the measures received overwhelming bipartisan support in the House. The plan now advances to the Senate for further consideration.
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