For Immediate Release: December 19, 2025 Contact: Olivia Hall, media@endthebacklog.org NEW YORK — Today, the Joyful Heart Foundation celebrate the signing of A1970A/S5225A by Governor Hochul, which expands the statewide rape kit tracking system to require hospital participation and refines kit handling timelines. We are grateful for the leadership of Senator Andrew Gounardes and Assemblymember […]
For Immediate Release: June 6, 2022Contact: Olivia Hall, media@endthebacklog.org NEW YORK – Today, the Joyful Heart Foundation, a leading national organization working to eliminate the nation’s untested rape kit backlog, applauds the New York legislature, Senator Biaggi, Assemblywoman Paulin, and Speaker Heastie for shepherding S.7867A into law. This bill, when signed, will require the Division […]
The Joyful Heart Foundation (Joyful Heart) today applauded the New York legislature’s passage of the Child Victims Act (A.2683/S.2440), a bill that will help protect children across the state of New York and allow survivors additional time to seek justice in the state’s courts.
The Joyful Heart Foundation (Joyful Heart) today praised New York for becoming the third state in the country to enact comprehensive rape kit reform legislation. Governor Andrew Cuomo has signed A8401C into law, which creates a sexual assault survivors’ Bill of Rights.
The Joyful Heart Foundation today applauded the New York legislature’s passage of Senate Bill S8977 and Assembly Bill A8401C, which grant sexual assault survivors the right to know about the status of their rape kit and results of testing. This legislation, led by long-time champions Senator Kemp Hannon and Assemblymember Aravella Simotas, now awaits the governor’s signature.
Gov. Cuomo Signed Much-Needed Bill Today For Immediate Release: November 29, 2016Contact: Melissa Schwartz, media@endthebacklog.org NEW YORK – The Joyful Heart Foundation, a leader in the effort to provide cities and states with the resources they need to address their backlog of rape kits, today applauded New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s signing of New […]
The Joyful Heart Foundation, a leader in the effort to eliminate the national rape kit backlog, applauds the passage of New York Senate Bill 8117 and Assembly Bill 10067-A, which take meaningful steps to address the backlog of untested rape kits in the state. DNA evidence is an invaluable investigative tool.
The Joyful Heart Foundation is proud and excited to announce a new partnership with Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance’s Office. The District Attorney’s Office has committed up to $35 million in funding for jurisdictions to audit the scope of their backlogs, test previously unanalyzed kits and adapt and share best practices for rape kit reform. We are honored to serve […]
To continue with our series on the powerful benefits of testing every rape kit booked into evidence, we turn to one of the many cases solved after New York City cleared its backlog. In March 1991, a 17-year-old girl was accosted in the elevator of the Manhattan apartment building where she lived. Her assailant forced […]
