HARRISBURG: Today, legislation championed by Senator Joe Picozzi (SD-5) to help protect the public from serial offenders and to assist law enforcement in closing cold cases passed the Senate Law and Justice Committee.
Senate Bill 912 would require the collection of DNA samples from individuals upon arrest for serious violent or sexual crimes, rather than waiting until after conviction. With recent technological advancements in non-invasive DNA collection, sample-taking would be no different than already-established processes for collecting an arrestee’s fingerprints. The bill also closes a legal loophole, clarifying that offenders of criminal homicide must have DNA collected like individuals convicted of felonies and other serious sexual offenses.
“This is a commonsense step forward to strengthening public safety and giving law enforcement the tools they need to solve these crimes and bring justice to victims” said Picozzi. “Closing this loophole ensures that every serious offense is treated with the gravity it deserves.”
The legislation was passed by the Senate Law and Justice Committee and now heads to the full Senate for consideration.
CONTACT: Danielle LaBrake at dlabrake@pasen.gov