MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Tony Evers has signed bipartisan bills establishing a first-ever process for collecting and tracking sexual assault evidence kits, proposals that stalled for years over partisan bickering despite widespread support among law enforcement agencies, victims' advocates, and others across Wisconsin.
Evers' signature of the measures Monday drew praise from Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul and Republican lawmakers. It completes a years-long struggle to create protocols in the law for processing and retaining the kits, which can provide integral evidence in sexual assault cases.
Evers says the new laws will increase transparency and accountability in the state's testing process.
