Tennessee bill ensuring teen rape victims have access to sexual assault exams fails

Tennessee bill ensuring teen rape victims have access to sexual assault exams fails

Evidence collection kit. (Photo: Getty Images)Legislation to guarantee teen victims of sexual assault the right to a forensic rape exam without parental consent failed in the Tennessee Legislature last week, despite drawing strong bipartisan support. The legislation was brought as a technical fix to the 2024 “Families’ Rights and Responsibilities Act,” which established a parent’s right to “make all physical and mental healthcare decisions for t…