The Rape Shield Enhancement Act of 2025 directs the federal Judicial Conference to review and propose amendments to three key federal court rules governing evidence and discovery procedures in sexual assault cases. Specifically, the bill requires the Judicial Conference to examine Federal Rules of Evidence Rule 412 (which currently restricts evidence about a victim's sexual behavior), Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 26 (governing discovery in civil cases), and Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure Rule 16 (governing discovery in criminal cases), with the goal of further limiting what evidence can be introduced about victims' private information and strengthening privacy protections. The proposed amendments would restrict inquiries into victims' personal, financial, social, psychological, sexual, medical, and other confidential records unless directly relevant to the case, and would establish clearer rules about how admissible evidence can be disclosed. The Judicial Conference must submit its recommendations to Congress within 180 days of the bill's enactment, though the bill itself does not allocate specific funding and would primarily affect federal courts handling sexual assault cases.
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