2023 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes › Act 59 - SEXUAL ASSAULT EMERGENCY SERVICES ACT - ENACTMENT

An Act
Providing for access to treatment for sexual assault survivors and for duties of the
            Department of Health.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1.  Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Sexual Assault Emergency Services
            Act.
Section 2.  Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall have the meanings given
            to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"County."  A county of any class in this Commonwealth.
"Department."  The Department of Health of the Commonwealth.
"Hospital."  As defined in section 802.1 of the act of July 19, 1979 (P.L.130, No.48), known as
            the Health Care Facilities Act.
"Registered nurse."  A registered nurse, clinical nurse specialist or certified registered nurse practitioner
            under the act of May 22, 1951 (P.L.317, No.69), known as The Professional Nursing
            Law.
"SANE program."  A program that utilizes a sexual assault nurse examiner for a forensic medical examination
            based in this Commonwealth.
"Sexual assault."  Any of the offenses specified in 18 Pa.C.S. Ch. 31 Subch. B (relating to definition
            of offenses).
"Sexual assault nurse examiner" or "SANE."  A registered nurse who completed additional education and training that meets the
            most recent edition of the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Education Guidelines established
            by the International Association of Forensic Nurses in effect on the effective date
            of this section to provide comprehensive health care to survivors of sexual assault.
"Sexual assault survivor."  An individual who reports that they have experienced sexual assault.
Section 3.  SANE program for access to treatment for sexual assault survivors.
In addition to the sexual assault emergency services required under 28 Pa. Code §
            117.52 (relating to minimum requirements for sexual assault emergency services), a
            hospital may establish a SANE program.
Section 4.  Duties of department.
(a)  List of SANE capabilities.--
(1)  No later than 180 days after the effective date of this section and updated on an
            annual basis, the department shall publish a comprehensive list of each hospital,
            by county, that provides SANE care on the department's publicly accessible Internet
            website. The list shall include the location and phone number for each hospital listed
            and, when applicable, the hospital's publicly accessible Internet website.
(2)  A hospital shall notify the department of changes to the hospital's SANE capabilities
            within seven days of the change. The department shall update the publicly accessible
            Internet website to reflect a change by a hospital within seven days of receipt from
            a hospital.
(b)  Browsing history.--The department shall develop a feature on the department's publicly
            accessible Internet website that simultaneously deletes the user's Internet browsing
            history and redirects the user to the web browser's home page. This feature shall
            be a button affixed to the top-right of the web browser and shall be added to each
            publicly accessible Internet website pertaining to information or services for sexual
            assault or domestic violence survivors.
(c)  Funding.--The department shall make grant funding available if sufficient funds have
            been appropriated for the purpose of establishing and supporting infrastructure to
            facilitate the delivery of sexual assault nurse examiner services.
Section 5.  Effective date.
This act shall take effect immediately.