Nebraska Statutes 28-902. Physical injury related to criminal offense; report by health care provider; sexual assault; duties of health care provider; law enforcement agency; duties; violation; penalty
(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, every health care provider shall immediately report to law enforcement every case in which the health care provider is consulted for medical care for physical injury which appears to have been received in connection with, or as a result of, the commission of a criminal offense. Such report shall include the name of the victim, a brief description of the victim’s physical injury, and, if ascertainable, the victim’s residential address and the location of the offense. Any other law or rule of evidence relative to confidential communications is suspended insofar as compliance with this section is concerned.
Attorney's Note
Under the Nebraska Statutes, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:| Class | Prison | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Class III misdemeanor | up to 3 months | up to $500 |
Terms Used In Nebraska Statutes 28-902
- Attorney: shall mean attorney at law. See Nebraska Statutes 49-801
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Person: shall include bodies politic and corporate, societies, communities, the public generally, individuals, partnerships, limited liability companies, joint-stock companies, and associations. See Nebraska Statutes 49-801
- State: when applied to different states of the United States shall be construed to extend to and include the District of Columbia and the several territories organized by Congress. See Nebraska Statutes 49-801
(2) When a health care provider is consulted for medical care for physical injury which reasonably appears to have been received in connection with, or as a result of, the commission of an actual or attempted sexual assault and the victim was eighteen years of age or older at the time of such actual or attempted sexual assault, the health care provider shall:
(a) Provide the victim with information detailing the reporting options available under subdivision (2)(b) of this section;
(b) Ask the victim either:
(i) To provide written consent to report such actual or attempted sexual assault as provided in subsection (1) of this section. If the victim provides such written consent, the health care provider shall make the report required by subsection (1) of this section and submit to law enforcement a sexual assault evidence collection kit if one has been obtained; or
(ii) To sign a written acknowledgment that such actual or attempted sexual assault will not be reported except as provided in subdivision (2)(c) or subsection (3) of this section, but that the health care provider will submit to law enforcement a sexual assault evidence collection kit, if one has been obtained, using an anonymous reporting protocol. A health care provider may use the anonymous reporting protocol developed by the Attorney General under section 84-218 or may use a different anonymous reporting protocol;
(c) Regardless of the victim’s decision under subdivision (2)(b) of this section, if the victim is suffering from a serious bodily injury, or any bodily injury where a deadly weapon was used to inflict such injury, which appears to have been received in connection with, or as a result of, the commission of an actual or attempted sexual assault, the health care provider shall report such injury to law enforcement as provided in subsection (1) of this section; and
(d) Unless declined by the victim, refer him or her to an advocate.
(3) When a health care provider is consulted for medical care for physical injury which reasonably appears to have been received in connection with, or as a result of, the commission of an actual or attempted sexual assault, the health care provider shall, regardless of the victim’s age or the victim’s decision under subdivision (2)(b) of this section, provide law enforcement with a sexual assault evidence collection kit if one has been obtained.
(4) A law enforcement agency receiving a sexual assault evidence collection kit under this section shall preserve such kit for twenty years after the date of receipt or as otherwise ordered by a court.
(5) Any health care provider who knowingly fails to make any report required by subsection (1) of this section is guilty of a Class III misdemeanor. If multiple health care providers are involved in the consultation of a person in a given occurrence, this section does not require each health care provider to make a separate report, so long as one of such health care providers makes the report required by this section.
(6) For purposes of this section:
(a) Advocate has the same meaning as in section 29-4302 ;
(b) Anonymous reporting protocol means a reporting protocol that allows the identity of the victim, his or her personal or identifying information, and the details of the sexual assault or attempted sexual assault to remain confidential and undisclosed by the health care provider, other than submission to law enforcement of any sexual assault evidence collection kit, unless and until the victim consents to the release of such information;
(c) Health care provider means any of the following individuals who are licensed, certified, or registered to perform specified health services consistent with state law: A physician, physician assistant, nurse, or advanced practice registered nurse;
(d) Law enforcement means a law enforcement agency in the county in which the consultation occurred; and
(e) Victim means the person seeking medical care.