HB 1297 deals with sexual assault protocol and criminal procedure to provide greater protection to victims of sexual crimes. It changes provisions for the preservation of evidence so that the law enforcement agency must maintain any physical evidence from a sexual assault case for 10 years after the report of the crime. This bill also gives the victim the right to have a forensic medical examination regardless of whether they participate in the criminal justice system or cooperate with law enforcement in pursuing prosecution of the underlying crime.