EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Bill makes amendments with respect to sexual assault evidence kits and sexual assault education.

The Post-secondary Education Choice and Excellence Act, 2000 is amended to require persons who grant degrees in nursing under that Act to provide Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner training, free of charge, to nursing students or have the Minister’s consent under that Act deemed not to be valid.

The Public Hospitals Act is amended to require hospitals to have at least 10 sexual assault evidence kits available for patients at all times and to provide them to patients who are in need of them, free of charge.

Bill 20 2022

An Act to amend two Acts with respect to sexual assault evidence kits at hospitals and education about sexual assault in nursing programs

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

Post-secondary Education Choice and Excellence Act, 2000

1 Section 4 of the Post-secondary Education Choice and Excellence Act, 2000 is amended by adding the following subsection:

Exception, nursing programs

(7)  The Minister’s consent is deemed not to be valid if,

  (a)  the person who received the consent grants degrees in nursing; and

  (b)  the person fails to offer Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner training courses to every student enrolled in the nursing program, free of charge.

Public Hospitals Act

2 (1)  The Public Hospitals Act is amended by adding the following section:

Sexual assault evidence kits

23 (1)  A hospital shall have at least 10 sexual assault evidence kits available for patients at all times.

Provision

(2)  A hospital shall provide sexual assault evidence kits to any patient who is in need of them, free of charge.

(2)  Subsection 32 (1) of the Act is amended by adding the following clause:

(w.1) defining or clarifying the meaning of the term “sexual assault evidence kit”;

Commencement

3 This Act comes into force on the day that is one year after the day this Act receives Royal Assent.

Short title

4 The short title of this Act is the Access to Sexual Assault Evidence Kits and Provision of Sexual Assault Education Act, 2022.