A bill that would require hospitals to change how they treat sexual assault patients passed the Illinois House on Friday.
The proposed legislation requires that by 2021, Illinois hospitals that treat sexual assault victims have a specially trained provider present within 90 minutes of a patient’s arrival in an emergency room.
Although government and health experts recommend that sexual assault victims be treated by nurses who are trained to recognize trauma and collect evidence, few Illinois nurses undergo this training.
“Since day one, my goal has been to ensure that this most vulnerable population of victims that has been through unthinkable trauma may obtain the care they need and deserve from the most qualified medical professionals,” state Rep. Michael Unes (R-East Peoria), who sponsored the legislation, said in a statement.
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The bill passed without opposition, with 101 legislators voting in support. The legislation will now go to the Senate.
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