Communicating With the Legislature
Overview
Partial transcript of All Crimes Convictions DNA Podcast – Governor’s Bill – APR 28 2010
SPAWN: Aren’t there other proposals on the table that would expand the databank even more than the governor suggests – for instance, by including everyone arrested and not merely convicted of a crime?
COMM. BYRNE: Yes. But in the current fiscal climate, those are not realistic. Currently, the DNA Databank is current in its processing of DNA samples and could handle the estimated 100,000 samples that would come in annually under the Governor’s proposal with a relatively minimal additional expense. We could do this immediately. Expanding the databank further could cost tens of millions of dollars at a time when we don’t have tens of millions of dollars and would overburden the lab. Proposals to expand to only certain felony arrests may be a good idea - - but could not be implemented immediately and have significant fiscal implications due to the expungement requirements if the offender is not actually convicted.