“Rape Kit Rights in New Hampshire: A Conversation with Rep. Ellen Read”

In this episode of The Gracie Gato Podcast, Gracie breaks down New Hampshire’s rape kit rights bill, HB1633, and asks a simple question: why is transparency around evidence still controversial?Forty-six states already have rape kit tracking or survivor notification laws. New Hampshire is still debating whether victims should have automatic rights to information about evidence collected in their name. Gracie contrasts the current bill with testimony from the 2023 version of the legislation (HB378), where confusion around definitions, survivor rights, and the role of evidence exposed a deeper tension: is the justice system centered on truth, or on protecting institutional control?State Representative Ellen Read joins the conversation as a key voice advocating for survivor access, accountability, and transparency. The episode explores how rape kit evidence should function in a justice system committed to both protecting victims and preserving due process — including the reality that evidence must serve truth, even when it complicates narratives.This episode sets the stage for a deeper investigation in the next installment, where Gracie follows the money, influence, and policy pipeline behind New Hampshire’s domestic violence and sexual assault advocacy ecosystem.Because evidence shouldn’t belong to institutions.It belongs to the truth.