The final HCR 20 report is out.
During the last legislative session, lawmakers passed HCR 20 to take a hard look at access to Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs) across Kentucky – where services exist, where they don’t, and what needs to change.
Here’s what the Legislative Research Commission found:
- The number of nurses with SANE credentials has nearly doubled since 2019, from 296 to 556.
- Despite that growth, access is still uneven:
- 100 counties do not have a SANE-ready hospital.
- 44 of those counties don’t even border a county with one.
- Most SANE-ready hospitals are clustered in Louisville, Central Kentucky, and Northern Kentucky.
- There are no SANE-ready hospitals west of Owensboro.
- From 2019–2024, more than 4,400 sexual assault forensic exams were logged statewide.
KASAP played an active role in moving this work forward. We participated in meetings with the LRC research team and statutory members of the Sexual Assault Response Team Advisory Committee, reviewed early findings, shared feedback from advocates and providers across the state, and helped identify practical next steps.
The report also outlines clear recommendations to make sure survivors can get care when and where they need it. Some of these recommendations include expanding training opportunities and incentives for nurses, and improving hospital policies and coordination.
You can read the full report and fact sheet on the LRC website:
• HCR 20 Report
• HCR 20 Fact Sheet
