By Rachel Beatrice

Capital News Service

Gov. Terry McAuliffe recently formally signed four bills that supporters say will increase protections for victims of sexual assaults.

In a crowded room hosted by the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance, McAuliffe signed:

• Senate Bill 291 and House Bill 1160, which seek to ensure that rape evidence kits are tested promptly.

• SB 248, which will allow minors to consent to an evidence recovery examination over the objections of a parent or guardian — a critical option when the adult may be the perpetrator

• HB 1102, which aims to improve support and treatment for sexual assault survivors on college campuses

“The bills Gov. McAuliffe is signing today are truly game changers in the way Virginia treats survivors of sexual violence and the way we help them pursue justice,” Attorney General Mark Herring told the audience. “It is a long overdue overhaul of the way we conduct investigations and handle evidence.”

Last year, an audit by the Virginia Department of Forensic Science discovered that more than 2,300 rape kits remained untested — some dating to 1988, Herring said.

Sen. Richard Black, R-Leesburg, attended the signing ceremony. He sponsored SB 291.

“Suppression of violent crimes and especially of rape has been central to my career,” Black said. “And as the former head of the Pentagon’s Criminal Law Division, I will tell you that I am quite confident that SB 291 will save lives, and it will protect many, many women from sexual assault.”

The Virginia Department of Forensic Science currently processes more than 700 cases annually. McAuliffe said the new legislation would double the number of tests performed each year.

In addition, “the new state budget will include $900,000 annually to hire six new DNA examiners,” the governor said.

Herring said the goal is to address the current problem and prevent it from recurring. “Once we get the backlog cleared out, this new bill should ensure that Virginia never finds itself in that situation again.”

The new laws will take effect July 1.