Bill Text: NY A05350 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Amended


Bill Title: Prohibits the use of a victim's DNA collected from sexual offense evidence kits from being added to the state DNA identification index or other databases or being used in certain actions.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 11-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-03 - referred to codes [A05350 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-A05350-Amended.html



                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                         5350--A

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                      March 7, 2023
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  WALLACE,  O'DONNELL,  REYES -- read once and
          referred to the Committee  on  Codes  --  committee  discharged,  bill
          amended,  ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit-
          tee

        AN ACT to amend the executive law and the public health law, in relation
          to the use of DNA collected from sexual offense evidence kits

          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section  1.  Subdivision  3  of  section 995-c of the executive law is
     2  amended by adding five new paragraphs (c), (d), (e), (f) and (g) to read
     3  as follows:
     4    (c) For the purposes of paragraphs (d), (e),  (f),  and  (g)  of  this
     5  subdivision:
     6    (i) "DNA profile" shall mean a DNA sample, record, product, or profile
     7  voluntarily submitted or collected from a victim of a sexual offense via
     8  a  sexual  offense evidence kit, a sexual assault nurse examination kit,
     9  provided for the purposes of exclusion, or developed from  a  known  DNA
    10  reference  sample,  and  shall not be construed to pertain to designated
    11  offender DNA; and
    12    (ii) "DNA identification index" does not include storage or  treatment
    13  of  evidence as laid out in section eight hundred thirty-eight-a of this
    14  chapter or section twenty-eight hundred five-i of the public health law.
    15    (d) A DNA profile shall not be used for  comparison  purposes  in  any
    16  unrelated criminal investigation. Such DNA shall not be collected, cata-
    17  loged,  indexed, stored, or uploaded to any state or local DNA Identifi-
    18  cation Index maintained or operated by a public agency.
    19    (e) (i) DNA profiles shall only be used for purposes directly  related
    20  to the incident being investigated.
    21    (ii)  No  law  enforcement agency or agent thereof may compare any DNA
    22  profiles described in this paragraph or paragraph (d), (f),  or  (g)  of

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD04096-03-3

        A. 5350--A                          2

     1  this  subdivision  with DNA samples or records that do not relate to the
     2  incident being investigated.
     3    (f)    DNA  profiles  shall  have  their  searchable  database profile
     4  expunged from all public and private databases if the person has no past
     5  or present offense or pending charge which  qualifies  such  person  for
     6  inclusion within the state's DNA identification index.
     7    (g) Any part of a DNA profile that remains after the requested testing
     8  or  analysis has been performed shall be securely stored and may only be
     9  used in accordance with the restrictions on use and  disclosure  of  the
    10  sample provided in this section and section eight hundred thirty-eight-a
    11  of  the  executive  law  or  section  twenty-eight hundred five-i of the
    12  public health law.
    13    § 2. Subdivision 1 of section 838-a of the executive law is amended by
    14  adding four new paragraphs (g), (h), (i) and (j) to read as follows:
    15    (g) Known reference DNA samples or profiles submitted,  developed,  or
    16  collected  from  a  victim  of  a  sexual  offense  via a sexual offense
    17  evidence kit shall not be used as part of reasonable cause  for  arrest.
    18  Such evidence is prohibited from use in an unrelated investigation.  For
    19  criminal  prosecutions  and  proceedings,  any  evidence or product that
    20  results or flows from the use  of  a  known  reference  DNA  samples  or
    21  profiles  submitted,  developed,  or collected from a victim of a sexual
    22  offense via a sexual offence evidence kit that violates any provision of
    23  this section shall be inadmissible.
    24    (h) No   victim's DNA sample, record,  product,  profile  or  evidence
    25  collected  or  resulting  from  the  collection of DNA of a victim in  a
    26  sexual offense evidence kit shall be transmitted to any local  or  state
    27  DNA identification index or database.  DNA identification index or data-
    28  base  does not include storage or treatment of evidence as laid out this
    29  section or section twenty-eight hundred five-i of the public health law.
    30    (i) Any conviction against a victim obtained, either directly or indi-
    31  rectly, through the use of a victim's DNA collected in a sexual  offense
    32  evidence  kit  shall  be eligible for relief in accordance  with section
    33  440.10 of the criminal procedure law.
    34     (j)  In  any  action brought by any person to enforce  this  section,
    35  the  court may issue an injunction  to  restrain,  prevent,  or  enforce
    36  any violation of this section. The court  may  mandate  changes  in  the
    37  policies and procedures of police department rules and  guidelines  when
    38  such measures are required to remedy a violation under this section.
    39    §  3.  Subdivision  2  of  section  2805-i of the public health law is
    40  amended by adding five new paragraphs (k), (l), (m), (n) and (o) to read
    41  as follows:
    42    (k) For the purposes of paragraphs (l),  (m),  (n)  and  (o)  of  this
    43  subdivision,  "DNA profile" shall mean a DNA sample, record, product, or
    44  profile voluntarily submitted or collected from a  victim  of  a  sexual
    45  offense  via a sexual offense evidence kit, a sexual assault nurse exam-
    46  ination kit, provided for the purposes of exclusion, or developed from a
    47  known DNA reference sample. Nothing in paragraphs (l), (m), (n) and  (o)
    48  of this subdivision shall be construed to pertain to designated offender
    49  DNA.
    50    (l)  DNA  profiles  shall  not be used as part of reasonable cause for
    51  arrest.  Such evidence shall be prohibited  from  use  in  an  unrelated
    52  investigation.   For criminal prosecutions and proceedings, any evidence
    53  or  product that results or flows from the use of  a  DNA  profile  that
    54  violates any provision of this section shall be inadmissible.
    55    (m)  DNA  profiles shall not be collected, cataloged, indexed, stored,
    56  transmitted or uploaded to any state or local DNA  identification  index

        A. 5350--A                          3

     1  maintained or operated by a public agency. DNA identification index does
     2  not include storage or treatment of evidence as laid out in this section
     3  or section eight hundred thirty-eight-a of the executive law.
     4    (n)  Any  conviction  obtained, either directly or indirectly, through
     5  the use of a DNA profile shall be  eligible  for  relief  in  accordance
     6  with section 440.10 of the criminal procedure law.
     7    (o)   In   any   action brought by any person to enforce this section,
     8  the court may issue an injunction  to  restrain,  prevent,  or   enforce
     9  any  violation  of  this  section.  The court may mandate changes in the
    10  policies and procedures of police department rules and  guidelines  when
    11  such measures are required to remedy a violation under this section.
    12    § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
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