Texans have donated more than $8 million to test rape kits through a program on the state’s driver’s license application. The donations go into a pool for the Sexual Assault Evidence Testing Grant Program administered by the governor’s office.

Rape Kit Backlog

The state considers a rape kit backlogged if it is not submitted to a lab within 30 days of receipt or if the lab does not complete analysis within 90 days. Some law enforcement agencies consider kits backlogged if they were collected before these deadlines took effect.

According to Texas Department of Public Safety records, more than $8.2 million has been donated to rape kit testing through the driver’s license application. Grant application records show that over $5.8 million of the donation pool had been distributed as of April.

Results from Donations

At least 4,150 pieces of evidence across the state have been processed since 2019 with funding from the public’s donations on the driver’s license application. The most recent grant applications for Dallas and Fort Worth indicate that both police departments have recently eliminated their rape kit backlogs and have been operating within the mandated deadlines.

Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.