Subdivision 1. Notice required. A hospital shall give a written notice about victim rights and available resources to a person seeking medical services in the hospital who reports to hospital staff or presents evidence of a sexual assault or other unwanted sexual contact or sexual penetration. The hospital shall make a good faith effort to provide this notice prior to medical treatment or the examination performed for the purpose of gathering evidence, subject to applicable federal and state laws and regulations regarding the provision of medical care, and in a manner that does not interfere with any medical screening examination or initiation of treatment necessary to stabilize a victim's emergency medical condition.

Subd. 2. Contents of notice. The commissioners of health and public safety, in consultation with sexual assault victim advocates and health care professionals, shall develop the notice required by subdivision 1. The notice must inform the victim, at a minimum, of:

(1) the obligation under section 609.35 of the county where the criminal sexual conduct occurred to pay for the examination performed for the purpose of gathering evidence, that payment is not contingent on the victim reporting the criminal sexual conduct to law enforcement, and that the victim may incur expenses for treatment of injuries;

(2) the victim's rights if the crime is reported to law enforcement, including the victim's right to apply for reparations under sections 611A.51 to 611A.68, information on how to apply for reparations, and information on how to obtain an order for protection or a harassment restraining order; and

(3) the opportunity under section 611A.27 to obtain status information about an unrestricted sexual assault examination kit, as defined in section 299C.106, subdivision 1, paragraph (h).

History: 2014 c 291 art 6 s 12; 2018 c 160 s 1