HCS HB 152 -- DNA PROFILING SYSTEM

SPONSOR:  Stevenson (Ruestman)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on Judiciary
by a vote of 13 to 1.

This substitute expands the DNA profiling system by requiring any
person 17 years of age or older who is arrested for first degree
burglary, second degree burglary, or a felony under Chapter 565
or 566, RSMo, to provide a biological sample upon booking at a
county jail or detention facility for the purpose of DNA
profiling analysis.

FISCAL NOTE:  Estimated Cost on General Revenue Fund of $676,640
in FY 2010, $476,111 in FY 2011, and $478,018 in FY 2012.  No
impact on Other State Funds in FY 2010, FY 2011, and FY 2012.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the bill will provide law
enforcement with another useful tool in solving heinous crimes.
Numerous states have adopted similar legislation, and every state
supreme court has upheld the laws to be constitutional.  Research
has shown that in Chicago alone, 53 rapes and murders could have
been prevented if a law like this had been in effect.  The bill
supports justice because people currently serving jail time or
being tried for a crime can quickly be exonerated and released if
the DNA of another individual matches the crime evidence.  The
bill should include arrests for burglaries because half of the
matches for sexual assaults, rapes, and murders are related to
burglary arrests.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Ruestman; Jay Ann
Sepich; and Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual
Violence.

OPPONENTS:  Those who oppose the bill say that it will infringe
upon the constitutional rights of those who have not been
convicted of any crime and that there are serious privacy issues.

Testifying against the bill was American Civil Liberties Union.

OTHERS:  Others testifying on the bill say that the DNA Profiling
Unit is capable of handling the increased number of cases with
the aid of available federal funding and that the process
includes multiple layers of control to insure that the samples
and positive matches are accurate.

Testifying on the bill was DNA Profiling Unit, State Highway
Patrol.

Missouri House of Representatives
95th General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Last Updated November 17, 2009 at 9:24 am