South Dakota § 22-22-26.7 - Forensic medical examination--Hospitals--Policies and procedures.

§ 22-22-26.7. Forensic medical examination--Hospitals--Policies and procedures.

A hospital licensed in accordance with chapter 34-12, except a specialized hospital, shall establish and maintain policies and procedures regarding the administration of forensic medical examinations. The policies and procedures must:

(1)    State whether the hospital provides forensic medical examinations on-site;

(2)    If the hospital does not provide examinations on-site, or if a provider is not available, address timely transfers and referrals to another hospital or clinic that provides examinations, in order to best preserve the integrity of forensic evidence;

(3)    If the hospital provides examinations on-site, address how the hospital coordinates with law enforcement agencies for the processing, storage, and maintenance of the chain of custody of evidence;

(4)    Address how the hospital coordinates with the sexual assault response team that provides services to the county in which the hospital is located, if applicable; and

(5)    Address how the hospital provides information, to a patient requesting an examination, on the availability of and resources from victim advocates.

Source: SL 2026, ch 105, § 7.