In brief: Louisiana eliminates billing of rape victims for examination

BATON ROUGE, La. – The common practice of billing rape victims for their medical exams should come to an end under changes to Louisiana law passed by state lawmakers.

The two bills by Rep. Helena Moreno, a New Orleans Democrat, now move to the desk of Gov. Bobby Jindal after unanimous votes Tuesday from the House. Jindal supports the legislation.

One bill forbids hospitals from charging victims for the exams. Another redirects unclaimed gambling winnings to a crime victims board to reimburse hospitals for costs of gathering DNA evidence, screening for sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy testing.

The measures are part of a package of bills sponsored by Moreno and New Orleans Sen. J.P. Morrell aimed at improving the handling of sexual assault in Louisiana.

Bison seriously injures man near Yellowstone’s Old Faithful

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. – For the second time in three weeks, a bison seriously injured a tourist in Yellowstone National Park who apparently underestimated how quickly the big, burly animals can move when they’re miffed.

The bison tossed the 62-year-old Australian several times into the air Tuesday morning. The unidentified man was flown by helicopter to a hospital. He had serious but nonlife-threatening injuries.

The man wasn’t the only person to blame for the encounter, park officials said. Several people crowded the bison as it lay on the grass near a paved sidewalk not far from the famous Old Faithful Geyser.

The man stepped forward and snapped photos with an electronic notepad just 3 to 5 feet away from the animal, she said.

When the bison charged, the tourist had little chance to escape.

Park officials recommend getting no closer to a bison than 25 yards.

It was the second bison attack in Yellowstone since summer tourist season began a month ago. A bison in the Old Faithful area gored a 16-year-old girl from Taiwan as she posed for a picture near the animal May 16.

The girl was treated at a hospital for serious but nonlife-threatening injuries and released, Bartlett said.