AUSTIN (KRLD) - Governor Abbott signed the Lavinia Masters Act into law back in June, but on Sunday (September 1, 2019) the law officially takes effect.
The bill was authored by Mesquite State Representative Victoria Neave. It sets a 90-day timeline for testing rape kits and extends the statute of limitations.
Governor Abbott sent out a video of the bill signing on Twitter.
I signed a law to ensure rapists are caught and prosecuted by providing funding needed to clear the backlog of untested rape evidence.Thanks to #txlege for getting this done. pic.twitter.com/3SYIctSwYQ
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX)
June 20, 2019 The bill was inspired by the tragic story of Lavinia Masters. Back in 1985, at the age of 13, she was raped at knife-point by an intruder in her West Dallas house. By the time her rape kit was tested, over 21 years later the statute of limitations had expired.
When she testified in favor of the bill at the State Capitol she spoke of the experience. “My perpetrator, he violated others…when they finally found out who he was he was known as a serial rapist…all because my evidence sat on the shelf.”
