The effort to protect rape victims in Georgia got a big boost in the state House today. A bill ensuring rape cases are quickly investigated passed unanimously.

Forensic evidence from a rape, or “rape kit”, can hold crucial materials for solving sexual assaults. Scott Holcomb, who sponsored the rape kit bill, says kits are not always processed in a timely manner.

“Here in Georgia, just last summer, 1,500 kits were found on hospital shelves here in Atlanta. Many of them had been there for years," says Holcomb.

The bill will ensure materials from a crime scene are gathered and picked up by law enforcement within 96 hours, then sent to the GBI within 30 days. Kits from pending cases will be inventoried and audited before going to the GBI for testing.

The bill has the full support of state investigators and law enforcement.