What's happening
This bill requires individuals arrested for certain felonies in New York to provide DNA samples, with procedures for collection and expungement.
Why it matters
Expands DNA database significantly. By requiring DNA samples from individuals upon arrest (rather than only after conviction) for a broad list of serious felonies, the bill would greatly increase the number of people whose DNA is stored in New York’s state database—potentially including those never convicted of a crime.
Raises privacy and civil liberties concerns. Collecting DNA from people who are merely arrested (and possibly later found innocent or not charged) could result in sensitive genetic information being kept by the state, creating risks of misuse, data breaches, or unintended consequences for those individuals.
Creates new processes for removal of DNA records. The bill establishes procedures for expunging DNA records if charges are dismissed, the individual is acquitted, or only minor convictions result, but places the burden on individuals to request expungement and meet specific documentation requirements—meaning some innocent people’s DNA could remain in the system by default.
Impacts law enforcement investigations and prosecutions. Law enforcement agencies could use the expanded DNA database to solve more crimes or investigate cold cases by matching DNA from arrestees to evidence from unsolved cases, potentially increasing clearance rates but also raising questions about proportionality and fairness in treatment of suspects.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Require DNA From Felony Arrestees
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 55
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to finance
- Referred to finance
Full text
7 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1038
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 6, 2017
Introduced by Sen. FUNKE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance
AN ACT to amend the executive law and the criminal procedure law, in relation to requiring individuals arrested in connection with a felony to submit a DNA sample
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 995 of the executive law is amended by adding a new subdivision 7-a to read as follows:
7-a. "Felony arrestee" means a person arrested and charged with any one or more of the following felonies, or an attempt thereof where such attempt is a felony offense, as defined in the penal law: sections 120.05, 120.06, 120.07, 120.10, 120.11 and 120.12, relating to assault; sections 120.55 and 120.60, relating to stalking; section 120.70, relating to luring a child; sections 125.15, 125.20, 125.21, 125.22, 125.25, 125.26 and 125.27, relating to homicide; sections 130.25, 130.30, 130.35, 130.40, 130.45, 130.50, 130.53, 130.65, 130.67, 130.70, 130.75, 130.80, 130.95 and 130.96, relating to sex offenses; sections 135.10, 135.20, 135.25 and 135.35, relating to kidnapping and labor trafficking; sections 140.17, 140.20, 140.25 and 140.30, relating to burglary; sections 150.05, 150.10, 150.15 and 150.20, relating to arson; sections 155.30, 155.35, 155.40 and 155.42, relating to grand larceny; sections 160.05, 160.10 and 160.15, relating to robbery; section 230.34 relating to sex trafficking; sections 235.21 and 235.22, relating to dissemination of indecent material to minors; sections 250.45 and 250.50, relating to unlawful surveillance; sections 255.25, 255.26, and 255.27, relating to incest; sections 263.05, 263.10, 263.11, 263.15, 263.16, and 263.30, relating to sexual performance by a child; or sections 265.02, 265.03, 265.04, 265.08, 265.09, 265.11, 265.12, 265.13, 265.14 and 265.16, relating to firearms and other dangerous weapons.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04190-01-7
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§ 2. Subdivision 3 of section 995-c of the executive law is amended by adding four new paragraphs (c), (d), (e) and (f) to read as follows:
(c) A felony arrestee shall be required to provide a sample appropriate for DNA testing upon his or her arrest, unless such felony arrestee has previously provided a sample that is included in the state DNA identification index.
(d) A public servant to whose custody a designated offender or felony arrestee who has not yet provided a DNA sample has been committed shall seek an order of the court to collect such sample if the offender, after written or oral request, refuses to provide such sample.
(e) The detention, arrest, indictment or conviction of a person based upon DNA records contained in the state DNA identification index shall not be invalidated if it is later determined that the division of criminal justice services inadvertently, but in good faith, collected or placed the person's DNA sample in the index.
(f) The commissioner of criminal justice services shall promulgate rules and regulations governing the periodic review of the DNA identification index to determine whether or not the index contains DNA profiles that should not be in the index, including the steps necessary to expunge any profiles which the division of criminal justice services determines should not be in the index.
§ 3. Subdivision 9 of section 995-c of the executive law, as amended by chapter 524 of the laws of 2002, is amended to read as follows:
9. (a) Upon receipt of notification of a reversal or a vacatur of a conviction, or of the granting of a pardon pursuant to article two-A of this chapter, of an individual whose DNA record has been stored in the state DNA identification index in accordance with this article by the division of criminal justice services, the DNA record shall be expunged from the state DNA identification index, and such individual may apply to the court in which the judgment of conviction was originally entered for an order directing the expungement of any DNA record and any samples, analyses, or other documents relating to the DNA testing of such individual in connection with the investigation or prosecution of the crime which resulted in the conviction that was reversed or vacated or for which the pardon was granted. A copy of such application shall be served on the district attorney and an order directing expungement may be granted if the court finds that all appeals relating to the conviction have been concluded; that such individual will not be retried, or, if a retrial has occurred, the trier of fact has rendered a verdict of complete acquittal, and that expungement will not adversely affect the investigation or prosecution of some other person or persons for the crime. The division shall, by rule or regulation, prescribe procedures to ensure that the DNA record in the state DNA identification index, and any samples, analyses, or other documents relating to such record, whether in the possession of the division, or any law enforcement or police agency, or any forensic DNA laboratory, including any duplicates or copies thereof, at the discretion of the possessor thereof, are either destroyed or returned to such individual, or to the attorney who represented him or her at the time such reversal, vacatur or pardon, was granted. The commissioner shall also adopt by rule and regulation a procedure for the expungement in other appropriate circumstances of DNA records contained in the index.
(b) As prescribed in this paragraph, if an individual, either voluntarily, pursuant to paragraph (c) of subdivision three of this section, or pursuant to a warrant or order of a court, has provided a sample for DNA testing in connection with the investigation, arrest or prosecution
S. 1038 3
of a crime and (i) no criminal action against the individual relating to such crime was commenced within the period specified by section 30.10 of the criminal procedure law, or (ii) a criminal action was commenced against the individual relating to such crime which resulted in a complete acquittal, or (iii) a criminal action was commenced against the individual relating to such crime [resulted in a conviction that was subsequently reversed or vacated, or for which the individual was granted a pardon pursuant to article two-A of this chapter, such individual may apply to the supreme court or the court in which the judgment of conviction was originally entered for an order directing the expungement of any DNA record and any samples, analyses, or other documents relating to the DNA testing of such individual in connection with the investigation or prosecution of such crime. A copy of such application shall be served on the district attorney and an order directing expungement may be granted if the court finds that the individual has satisfied the conditions of one of the subparagraphs of this paragraph; that if a judgment of conviction was reversed or vacated, all appeals relating thereto have been concluded and the individual will not be retried, or, if a retrial has occurred, the trier of fact has rendered a verdict of complete acquittal, and that expungement will not adversely affect the investigation or prosecution of some other person or persons for the crime. If an order directing the expungement of any DNA record and any samples, analyses or other documents relating to the DNA testing of such individual is issued] which was resolved by a dismissal, successful completion of a pre-prosecution diversion program, or conditional discharge or misdemeanor conviction that did not require DNA collection pursuant to section nine hundred ninety-five of this article, the DNA record shall be expunged from the state DNA identification index. An individual may request expungement of any DNA record and any samples, analyses or other documents relating to the DNA testing of such individual by providing the following materials to the division of criminal justice services:
(1) a written request for expungement of the sample and DNA records; and
(2) a certified copy of the dismissal, successful completion of a pre-prosecution diversion program or a conditional discharge, misdemeanor conviction or acquittal; and
(3) a sworn statement from the district attorney's office with jurisdiction over the matter that: the case was dismissed; a pre-prosecution diversion program or conditional discharge, misdemeanor conviction excluded from DNA collection pursuant to section nine hundred ninetyfive of this article or acquittal occurred; no felony charges arose out of the arrest; or no criminal action against the individual relating to such crime was commenced within the period specified by section 30.10 of the criminal procedure law; and that expungement will not adversely affect the investigation or prosecution of some other person or persons for the crime.
(c) If expungement is warranted pursuant to paragraph (a) or (b) of this subdivision, such record and any samples, analyses, or other documents shall, at the discretion of the possessor thereof, be destroyed or returned to such individual or to the attorney who represented him or her in the criminal action or in connection with the [application for the order of] request for expungement.
(d) No expungement shall be granted where an individual has a prior conviction requiring a DNA sample, or a pending felony charge for which
S. 1038 4
collection of a sample is authorized pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (c) of subdivision three of this section.
§ 4. Subdivision 6 of section 120.90 of the criminal procedure law, as amended by chapter 424 of the laws of 1998, is amended to read as follows:
6. Before bringing a defendant arrested pursuant to a warrant before the local criminal court in which such warrant is returnable, a police officer must without unnecessary delay perform all fingerprinting and other preliminary police duties required in the particular case. In any case in which the defendant is not brought by a police officer before such court but, following his arrest in another county for an offense specified in subdivision one of section 160.10 of this title, is released by a local criminal court of such other county on his own recognizance or on bail for his appearance on a specified date before the local criminal court before which the warrant is returnable, the latter court must, upon arraignment of the defendant before it, direct that he be fingerprinted and have a sample appropriate for DNA testing taken, if required pursuant to section nine hundred ninety-five-c of the executive law, by the appropriate officer or agency, and that he appear at an appropriate designated time and place for such purpose.
§ 5. Section 130.60 of the criminal procedure law, as amended by chapter 95 of the laws of 1991, subdivision 1 as amended by chapter 446 of the laws of 1993, is amended to read as follows: § 130.60 Summons; fingerprinting of defendant.
1. Upon the arraignment of a defendant whose court attendance has been secured by the issuance and service of a summons, based upon an indictment, a prosecutor's information or upon an information, felony complaint or misdemeanor complaint filed by a complainant who is a police officer, the court must, if an offense charged in the accusatory instrument is one specified in subdivision one of section 160.10 of this title, direct that the defendant be fingerprinted by the appropriate police officer or agency, and that he or she appear at an appropriate designated time and place for such purpose. If an offense charged in the accusatory instrument is one specified in subdivision seven-a of section nine hundred ninety-five of the executive law, the court must direct that a sample appropriate for DNA testing be taken, and that he or she appear at an appropriate designated time and place for such purpose.
2. Upon the arraignment of a defendant whose court attendance has been secured by the issuance and service of a summons based upon an information or misdemeanor complaint filed by a complainant who is not a police officer, and who has not previously been fingerprinted or from whom a DNA sample has not previously been taken and was required pursuant to section nine hundred ninety-five-c of the executive law, the court may, if it finds reasonable cause to believe that the defendant has committed an offense specified in subdivision one of section 160.10 of this title, direct that the defendant be fingerprinted and/or have a sample appropriate for DNA testing taken, if required by section nine hundred ninety-five-c of the executive law, by the appropriate police officer or agency and that he appear at an appropriate designated time and place for such purpose. A defendant whose court appearance has been secured by the issuance and service of a criminal summons based upon a misdemeanor complaint or information filed by a complainant who is not a police officer, must be directed by the court, upon conviction of the defendant, to be fingerprinted and have a sample appropriate for DNA testing taken, if required by section nine hundred ninety-five-c of the execu-
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tive law, by the appropriate police officer or agency and the court must also direct that the defendant appear at an appropriate designated time and place for such purpose, if the defendant is convicted of any offense specified in subdivision one of section 160.10 of this title.
§ 6. Subdivision 5 of section 140.20 of the criminal procedure law, as amended by chapter 762 of the laws of 1971, is amended to read as follows:
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the executive law and the criminal procedure law, in relation to requiring individuals arrested in connection with a felony to submit a DNA sample
Purpose
To allow for the collection of DNA samples upon an individual's arrest for certain felony crimes.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends the executive law section 995 by adding a new definition of "felony arrestee", which is defined as a person arrested and charged with certain designated felonies.
Read the full memo (735 words)
Section 2 amends the executive law section 995-c to require that felony arrestees provide a DNA sample to jailor detention facility personnel upon booking following arrest.
Section 3 amends the executive law section 995-c to clarify the procedure in which an arrestee who is not convicted of an offense for which DNA is collected may get his or her DNA expunged.
Section 4-11 amends various provisions of the criminal procedure law dealing with the requirement of taking fingerprints in accordance with 160.10 to also include a requirement for taking a DNA sample appropriate for DNA testing.
Section 12 proyides the effective date.
Existing law
DNA upon arrest is not currently permissible in New York. Under current law, a DNA sample is collected upon conviction of any felony or 18 specified misdemeanors.
The database, known as the Databank, began operations in 1996, when individuals convicted of homicide and certain sex-related crimes were required to submit a DNA sample. The Databank was expanded most recently in 2012, to include DNA samples from all offenders convicted of felonies in any section of state law as well as Penal Law Misdemeanors.
Justification
Carol Nelson was 65 years old on the morning of July 1, 2007. She had two sons, two daughters, and eight grandchildren. She had recently retired as a nurse at St. Joseph's Hospital in Syracuse, New York, where she had been employed for 25 years. While walking during the early morning hours in a suburban Syracuse neighborhood to her granddaughter's house, Carol was hit in the head multiple times, sexually assaulted, strangled and left for dead by Glen Shoop, who had been arrested and charged with rape, sexual assault and unlawful imprisonment of another victim a year earlier. When he murdered Carol, Shoop was awaiting sentencing in the 2006 crime, in which he pleaded guilty to first degree unlawful imprisonment, a felony. Because DNA was not collectible for Shoop's 2006 arrest for rape, as this bill proposes, his DNA was not taken prior to Carol's murder. Had it been, he would have been linked to a forensic profile in New York's DNA database relating to an unsolved 2000 rape at Colonial Laundromat in East Syracuse. With an investigative lead like that, it is almost certain that Shoop would not have been released to murder Carol Nelson pending his sentencing. When Shoop's DNA was finally taken and entered into the DNA database due to the unlawful imprisonment conviction, he was linked to both Carol's murder and the 2000 rape. He received 40 years to life for the combined cases.
This proposed legislation seeks to address the flaw that cost carol her life by requiring law enforcement to take DNA upon the arrest of individuals for certain felony crimes that have resulted in the largest number of hits against the database in the past.
Obtaining DNA upon arrest for certain felonies would undoubtedly result in more and earlier hits, thereby solving more crimes and preventing future ones.
New York needs to join 21 other states and the federal government which have already passed laws collecting DNA upon arrest. As of November 2016, the DNA Databank in New York contained DNA samples collected from 579,631 offenders ("offender profile"). There are 57,810 forensic samples in the database, which are DNA samples taken from crime scenes in New York. Requiring the collection of DNA upon arrest for crimes specified in this bill is the way to responsibly increase the DNA Databank and solve some of the hundreds of thousands of crimes with crime scene forensic profiles that go unsolved in this country every day.
Legislative history
S.2999A of 2015-2016; Referred to Finance S6319 of 2013-14; Referred to Finance S.691A of 2011-2012; Referred to Finance S.6213B of 2009-2010; Passed Senate
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the 180th day after it shall have become law.
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