Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

Anyone who thinks Palin supports women or fighting crime needs to read this

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This can only fall under the category of SAY WHAT?? — from Palin’s hometown paper, May 23, 2000 http://www.frontiersman.com/ar…

ANCHORAGE – Gov. Tony Knowles recently signed legislation protecting victims of sexual assault from being billed for tests to collect evidence of the crime, but one local police chief said the new law will further burden taxpayers. The governor signed House Bill 270, sponsored by Rep. Eric Croft, D-Anchorage, outside the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) exam room at Alaska Regional Hospital. In attendance at the signing were members of victims advocate groups, law enforcement agencies and legislators.

The new law makes it illegal for any law enforcement agency to bill victims or victims insurance companies for the costs of examinations that take place to collect evidence of a sexual assault or determine if a sexual assault did occur.

We would never bill the victim of a burglary for fingerprinting and photographing the crime scene, or for the cost of gathering other evidence, Knowles said. Nor should we bill rape victims just because the crime scene happens to be their bodies.

While the Alaska State Troopers and most municipal police agencies have covered the cost of exams, which cost between $300 to $1,200 apiece, the Wasilla police department does charge the victims of sexual assault for the tests.

Ummm… guess who fired the chief’s predecessor and then hired this guy? And guess who thought it was peachy to spend millions of taxpayer dollars on a municipal hockey rink, but apparently didn’t include the cost — estimated at $5,000 to $14,000 annually — required to gather evidence of a potential felony in the police department budget? Yup….  

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Comments

  1. What? Not enough room for the REST of the story?

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    In the past weve charged the cost of exams to the victims insurance company when possible. I just dont want to see any more burden put on the taxpayer, Fannon said.

    Palmer police chief Laren Zager said that to his knowledge, no sexual assault victim has ever been billed by the city of Palmer for an exam to collect evidence of a crime. Zager, who has been police chief since January, said he would never expect a victim to be burdened with the cost of a police investigation.

    Im prepared to pay every dime in an investigation. As long as I am chief, I would never bill a victim, Zager said.

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    p>It is common for EMS to bill victims for services rendered.

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    p>My daughter received a bill for over $900.00 for transport by a town ambulance, after her car was struck by a drunk driver.

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    p>They explained that the objective was to be recompensed by the insurance company if possible.
    Failing that, they said that they absolutely would not pursue my daughter for payment.

  2. Classic bootleggers and baptists in action.

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    p>This time, the bootleggers are the Insurance Companies who are behind the scenes lobbying to NOT pay for victims’ medical expenses.

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    p>The Baptists, are the do-gooders, Believing that to push the expense onto the State or Local government actually saves the victim some money.

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    p>Insurance companies laugh all the way to the bank.

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    p>In Illinois, they still bill the victim for ‘the rape kit’. which is the position you decry, right?  It’d be interesting to hear the State’s senator opine on this matter.  

    • Of course, the article only says it happens in IL. It doesn’t say that’s state-wide policy. In the case of Wasilla, it appears to be a policy unique to Governor Palin’s town under her leadership.  

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