REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO SEXUAL ASSAULT FORENSIC EXAMINERS FOR THE ARMED FORCES.

SEC. 539. REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO SEXUAL ASSAULT FORENSIC EXAMINERS FOR THE ARMED FORCES. (a) [10 U.S.C. 1561 note] Personnel Eligible for Assignment.— (1) Specified personnel.—Except as provided in paragraph (2), an individual who may be assigned to duty as a Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner (SAFE) for the Armed Forces is limited to members of the Armed Forces and civilian employees of the Department of Defense who are also one of the following: (A) A physician. (B) A nurse practitioner. (C) A nurse midwife. (D) A physician assistant. (E) A registered nurse. (2) Independent duty corpsmen.—An independent duty corpsman or equivalent may be assigned to duty as a Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner for the Armed Forces if the assignment of an individual specified in paragraph (1) is impracticable. (b) [10 U.S.C. 1561 note] Training and Certification.— (1) In general.—The Secretary of Defense shall establish and maintain, and update when appropriate, a training and certification program for Sexual Assault Forensic Examiners. The training and certification programs shall apply uniformly to all Sexual Assault Forensic Examiners under the jurisdiction of the Secretaries of the military departments. (2) Elements.—Each training and certification program under this subsection shall include training in sexual assault forensic examinations by qualified personnel who possess— (A) a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner—Adult/Adolescent (SANE-A) certification or equivalent certification; or (B) training and clinical or forensic experience in sexual assault forensic examinations similar to that required for a certification described in subparagraph (A). (3) Nature of training.—The training provided under each training and certification program under this subsection shall incorporate and reflect current best practices and standards on sexual assault forensic examinations. (4) Applicability of training requirements.—Effective beginning one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, an individual may not be assigned to duty as a Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner for the Armed Forces unless the individual has completed, by the date of such assignment, all training required under the training and certification program under this subsection. (c) Report on Training and Qualifications of Sexual Assault Forensic Examiners.— (1) Report required.—The Secretary of Defense shall prepare a report on the adequacy of the training and qualifications of each member of the Armed Forces and civilian employee of the Department of Defense who is assigned responsibilities of a Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner. (2) Report elements.—The report shall include the following: (A) An assessment of the adequacy of the training and certifications required for the members and employees described in paragraph (1). (B) Such improvements as the Secretary of Defense considers appropriate in the process used to select and assign members and employees to positions that include responsibility for sexual assault forensic examinations. (C) Such improvements as the Secretary considers appropriate for training and certifying member and employees that perform sexual assault forensic examinations. (3) Submission.—Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit the report to the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate. (d) Conforming and Clerical Amendments.— (1) [10 U.S.C. 1561 note] Conforming amendments.—Subsection (b) of section 1725 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 (Public Law 113-66; 127 Stat. 971) is amended— (A) in the subsection heading, by striking “Nurse Examiners” and inserting “Forensic Examiners”; (B) in paragraphs (1) and (2), by striking “sexual assault nurse examiner” each place it appears and inserting “Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner”; (C) in paragraph (1), by striking “sexual assault nurse examiners” and inserting “Sexual Assault Forensic Examiners”; and (D) by striking paragraph (3). (2) Clerical amendment.—The heading of such section is amended by striking “nurse examiners” and inserting “forensic examiners”.