Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal has proposed using unclaimed casino winnings to help cover the costs of medical examinations of rape victims.
On Thursday, Jindal revealed that he is working with state Rep. Helena Moreno to end the practice of charging sexual assault victims for the cost of their post-attack medical exams. The Times-Picayne recently reported that rape victims can expect to pay up to $4,200 to cover the costs of these exams, creating a further deterrent to victims coming forward to report their attacks.
Jindal’s office claims the state’s casinos keep around $2.3m per year from unclaimed winning horseracing tickets and expired slot machine tickets. Jindal and Moreno want to divert those funds to the Crime Victims Reparations Fund. The plan would enable the state to receive an additional $1.2m in federal money for the Fund.
Moreno says she expects “there will be some opposition” from the casinos, who have been booking the unclaimed funds as earnings, “but I couldn’t think of a better cause.” Jindal’s assistant chief of staff Stafford Palmieri said the governor had “reached out to the gaming community and they agree this is a good cause.” Palmieri said the state would reimburse casino operators for any taxes they might owe on the unclaimed winnings.
Louisiana Casino Association spokesman Wade Duty reserved comment when contacted by the Times-Picayune, saying his group would wait to see the legislation’s finer points before taking a position.
Moreno is also pushing separate legislation to use $3m in unclaimed lottery winnings to fund additional state police patrols in New Orleans’ famous French Quarter.
