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H.R. 3541House115th Congress (2017-2019)In Committee

SAFER Act of 2017

Sponsored by Ted PoeRep. Ted Poe (R-TX)
Introduced July 28, 2017

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 15, 2026 at 5:33 PM UTC

The SAFER Act of 2017 reauthorizes the 2013 Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence Reporting Act and updates several programs that deal with sexual assault evidence and DNA case backlogs. It sets new guidelines for keeping rape kits in unsolved cases, expands the role of forensic nurses to include children, provides grant money for prosecutors to handle DNA‑identified cases, extends the program’s timeline to 2022, and removes the original sunset provision.

Key Provisions

  • Directs the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the National Institute of Justice, and other experts to publish best‑practice guidelines for preserving sexual‑assault evidence in unsolved cases by Dec. 31, 2018, and to review and update them every five years.
  • Amends survivor‑rights language in the criminal code to remove a limiting phrase, strengthening survivors’ legal protections.
  • Expands the role of forensic nurse examiners to cover both adult and pediatric sexual‑assault victims, emphasizing the need for pediatric specialists.
  • Requires that 5%‑7% of DNA backlog grant funds each fiscal year be set aside for state and local prosecutors to address violent‑crime cases where DNA has identified suspects.
  • Extends the reauthorization of the DNA Analysis Backlog Elimination Act from 2017 to 2022.
  • Repeals the sunset provision of the original SAFER Act, making the program permanent.

Legislative Activity

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3 earlier actions
HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.

Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee

July 28, 2017

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

July 28, 2017

HouseIntro Referral

Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H6564-6567)

July 28, 2017

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

July 28, 2017

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.

Crime and Federal Government Surveillance Subcommittee

July 28, 2017

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued July 28, 2017

I

115th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 3541

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

July 28, 2017

Mr. Poe of Texas introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To reauthorize the SAFER Act of 2013, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence Reporting Act of 2017 or the SAFER Act of 2017.

2.

Best practices for rape kit retention of sexual assault forensic evidence for unsolved crimes

(a)

In general

Section 414 of the Justice for All Act of 2004 (42 U.S.C. 14136f) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (a)—

(A)

in the matter preceding paragraph (1)—

(i)

by inserting and the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance after Justice; and

(ii)

by striking and government and inserting , government; and

(iii)

by inserting and other national and State subject matter experts, before shall; and

(B)

in paragraph (1)—

(i)

by inserting and encourage compliance with after establish; and

(ii)

by inserting connected to cases in which no person is currently convicted, including best practices for the preservation of sexual assault evidence collection kits or their probative contents for unsolved cases before the semicolon at the end;

(2)

by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following:

(b)

Deadlines

The Director of the National Institute of Justice and the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance shall—

(1)

not later than December 31, 2018, publish the best practices established under subsection (a)(1); and

(2)

not later than 5 years after the date on which the best practices are established under subsection (a)(1), and once every 5 years thereafter, conduct a review of the best practices, and update the best practices as necessary.

; and

(3)

in subsection (c), by inserting , except as otherwise required under section 3772 of title 18, United States Code before the period at the end.

(b)

Sexual assault survivors' rights

Section 3772(a)(2)(A) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by striking subject to paragraph (3),.

3.

Pediatric sexual assault nurse examiners

Section 304(c)(2) of the DNA Sexual Assault Justice Act of 2004 (42 U.S.C. 14136a) is amended—

(1)

by inserting , both adult and pediatric, after role of forensic nurses; and

(2)

by striking and elder abuse and inserting elder abuse, and, in particular, the need for pediatric sexual assault nurse examiners, including such nurse examiners working in the multidisciplinary setting, in responding to abuse of both children and adolescents.

4.

Prosecution of DNA cold cases

(a)

Debbie Smith DNA Backlog Grant Program

Section 2 of the DNA Analysis Backlog Elimination Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 14135) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (a), by adding at the end the following:

(9)

To increase the capacity of State and local prosecution offices to address the backlog of violent crime cases in which suspects have been identified through DNA evidence.

; and

(2)

in subsection (c), by adding at the end the following:

(5)

Allocation of grant awards for prosecutors

For each fiscal year, not less than 5 percent, but not more than 7 percent, of the grant amounts distributed under paragraph (1) shall, if sufficient applications to justify such amounts are received by the Attorney General, be awarded for purposes described in subsection (a)(9), provided that none of the funds required to be distributed under this paragraph shall decrease or otherwise limit the availability of funds required to be awarded to States or units of local government under paragraph (3).

.

(b)

Justice for All Reauthorization Act of 2016

Section 3(a) of the Justice for All Reauthorization Act of 2016 (Public Law 114–324; 130 Stat. 1949) is amended—

(1)

in paragraph (1), by striking and at the end;

(2)

in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and

(3)

by adding at the end the following:

(3)

not less than 5 percent, but not more than 7 percent, of such amounts shall be provided for grants for prosecutors to increase the capacity of State and local prosecution offices to address the backlog of violent crime cases in which suspects have been identified through DNA evidence.

.

5.

Reducing the rape kit backlog

(a)

Reauthorization

Section 2(c)(4) of the DNA Analysis Backlog Elimination Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 14135(c)(4)) is amended by striking 2017 and inserting 2022.

(b)

Repeal of sunset

(1)

In general

Section 1006 of the SAFER Act of 2013 (42 U.S.C. 14135 note) is repealed.

(2)

Technical and conforming amendment

The table of contents for the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 (Public Law 113–4; 127 Stat. 54) is amended by striking the item relating to section 1006.