From the Daily Memphian.

"The statewide backlog of [rape kits] rose from 801 kits last August to 958 last month, a 20% increase. The Nashville lab’s turnaround time was 28.2 weeks, and the Knoxville lab’s was 45.9 weeks. The West Tennessee (Jackson) rape it turnaround time rose to 48.6 weeks this August. "

...

"TBI director David Rausch requested $59 million in funding last November for 40 additional forensic scientists and 10 other staffers, a roughly 20% staffing increase, in an effort to reduce turnaround times to eight weeks. (That $59 million also included a rent increase and other costs.)"

"Tennessee Gov. Lee and the General Assembly ended up granting the TBI about half of that."

...

"Leaders in the Republican-controlled General Assembly say they’re willing to give the TBI what it needs to reduce the rape kit backlog and turnaround times."

But they didn't.

“Someone could get raped and have that rapist’s baby before the kit is processed,” state Rep. Vincent Dixie (D-Nashville) said at a press conference this week."

...

"In the upcoming session, Republicans say they will build on this year’s “truth in sentencing” law with more tough-on-crime legislation."

What good is legislation without follow-up? The Tennessee Republican legislature appears to be defunding the police.