What's happening
This bill requires people arrested for certain sex-related felonies against children under 13 to provide a DNA sample upon arrest.
Why it matters
Facilitates faster identification and investigation. By collecting DNA from individuals arrested (not just convicted) for sex-related felonies against young children, law enforcement can more rapidly identify suspects, potentially linking them to other unsolved crimes or clearing them if DNA does not match evidence.
Expands the state DNA database. The bill would significantly increase the number of DNA profiles in the state’s database, particularly for those accused (but not yet convicted) of severe child sex offenses, which may aid in solving both current and cold cases involving children.
Includes safeguards and procedures for expungement. The legislation establishes clear processes for individuals to have their DNA records and samples expunged if their cases are dismissed, resolved without felony conviction, or if they are acquitted, addressing some privacy and due process concerns.
Raises civil liberties and privacy considerations. Requiring DNA collection at arrest—not just upon conviction—raises important questions about the balance between public safety and individual rights, especially considering the potential for errors, misuse, or retention of DNA data from people not ultimately convicted.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Require DNA From Sex Offense Arrests
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 4
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to codes
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 62–0
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.1328
- Referred to finance
- Returned to senate
- Died in assembly
- Referred to codes
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 62–0
Show 3 earlier actions
- Ordered to third reading cal.1819
- Committee discharged and committed to rules
- Referred to finance
Full text
7 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
616
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 4, 2017
Introduced by Sens. BOYLE, COMRIE, LATIMER -- 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 certain felonies 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 sections 130.25, 130.30, 130.35, 130.40, 130.45, 130.50, 130.53, 130.65, 130.66, 130.67, 130.70, 130.75, 130.80, 130.95 and 130.96 of the penal law, relating to sex offenses; and the victim is less than thirteen years old.
§ 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.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05448-01-7
S. 616 2
(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 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
S. 616 3
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 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
S. 616 4
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 executive 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:
5. Before service of an appearance ticket upon an arrested person pursuant to subdivision two or three of this section, the issuing police officer must, if the offense designated in such appearance ticket is one of those specified in subdivision one of section 160.10 of this title, cause such person to be fingerprinted and have a sample appropriate for DNA testing taken, if required by section nine hundred ninety-five-c of the executive law, in the same manner as would be required were no appearance ticket to be issued or served.
S. 616 5
§ 7. Subdivision 2 of section 140.27 of the criminal procedure law, as amended by chapter 843 of the laws of 1980, 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 certain felonies to submit a DNA sample
Purpose or general idea of bill
This bill, known as the Precious Child Act, would require DNA upon arrest for sexual offenses felonies against a child.
Summary of specific 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 sexual offenses felonies when the victim is less than 13 years old.
Section 2: amends the executive law section 995-c to require that felony arrestees as defined in section one provide a DNA sample upon 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: Effective Date.
Justification
This bill would require certain arrestees to provide a DNA sample when the victim is less than 13 years of age. Currently DNA is only required for certain crimes upon conviction in New York State.
This legislation will facilitate the identification of repeat offenders. Furthermore, this testing will help expedite investigations. Sexual crimes against children are particularly abhorrent. DNA upon arrest is a valuable new tool for investigators to catch dangerous offenders of serious crimes. In 2005, the city of Chicago conducted a study on preventable crimes. This study found at least 60 violent crimes, including 53 murders and rapes, that could have been prevented if DNA had been required upon arrest.
In 2013, the US Supreme Court ruled in Maryland vs. King that DNA testing upon arrest is akin to fingerprinting and is not violate rights guaranteed by the 4th amendment. To date, twenty-eight states have laws which would allow DNA upon arrest of certain felonies. Such collection of DNA for these heinous crimes will help prevent violent crimes, solve cold cases, and exonerate the innocent. Ultimately, this legislation will save the state time and money by reducing crime rates and catching offenders sooner.
Prior legislative history
2015-2016: died in committee
Fiscal implications
To be determined. EFFECTIVE DATE : This act shall take effect on the 180th day after it shall become law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.