2022 -- H 7713

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LC005004

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- DNA DETECTION OF SEXUAL AND

VIOLENT OFFENDERS

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Felix, Kislak, Giraldo, Williams, Slater, Craven, Henries,
McEntee, Caldwell, and Amore

     Date Introduced: March 02, 2022

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     (Judiciary)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 12-1.5-8 of the General Laws in Chapter 12-1.5 entitled "DNA

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Detection of Sexual and Violent Offenders" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     12-1.5-8. DNA sample required upon arrest or conviction for any crime of violence.

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     (a) Every person arrested for a crime of violence as defined in § 12-1.5-2, who pleads guilty

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or nolo contendere, or is convicted of any felony shall have a DNA sample taken for analysis as

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follows:

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     (1) Every person who is sentenced to a term of confinement to prison, for any crime of

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violence as defined in § 12-1.5-2, or any felony shall not be released prior to the expiration of his

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or her maximum term of confinement unless and until a DNA sample has been taken;

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     (2) Every person convicted of any crime of violence as defined in § 12-1.5-2, or any felony,

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or who is sentenced thereon to any term of probation, or whose case is referred to a diversion

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program, or upon whose case sentencing is deferred shall have a DNA sample taken for analysis

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by the department of the health as a condition of any sentence which disposition will not involve

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an intake into prison.

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     (b) Every person arrested for any crime of violence as defined in § 12-1.5-2 shall, at the

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time of booking, have a DNA sample taken for analysis and included in the Rhode Island DNA

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database and DNA databank respectively as required by this chapter and every such person shall

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be notified of his or her expungement rights under § 12-1.5-13 at or near the time the DNA sample

 

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is taken.

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     (1) The DNA sample shall be submitted by the arresting authority to the department of

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health. The department of health shall not test or place the sample in the statewide DNA database

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prior to arraignment unless one of the following conditions has been met:

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     (i) The arrestee appeared before any judicial officer for an arraignment and the judicial

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officer made a finding that there was probable cause for the arrest; or

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     (ii) The defendant was released and then failed to appear for the initial hearing, or escaped

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custody prior to appearing before a judicial officer.

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     (2) If all qualifying criminal charges are determined to be unsupported by probable cause:

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     (i) The DNA sample shall be immediately destroyed; and

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     (ii) Notice shall be sent by the prosecuting authority to the defendant and counsel of record

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for the defendant that the sample was destroyed.

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     (3) The arrestee requests or consents to having their DNA sample processed prior to

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arraignment for the sole purpose of having the sample checked against a sample that has been

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processed from the crime scene or the hospital, and is related to the charges against the person.

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     (4) A second DNA sample shall be taken if needed to obtain sufficient DNA for the

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statewide DNA database system or if ordered by the court for good cause shown.

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     (c) All DNA samples taken pursuant to this section shall be taken in accordance with

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regulations promulgated by the department of health.

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     (d) The director of the department of health shall promulgate rules and regulations

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governing the periodic review of the DNA identification database to determine whether or not the

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database contains DNA profiles that should not be in the database, including the steps necessary to

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expunge any profiles that the department determines should not be in the database.

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     (e) The requirements of this chapter are mandatory. In the event that an arrestee's DNA

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sample is not adequate for any reason, the arrestee shall provide another DNA sample for analysis.

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     (f) A sample does not need to be collected if the person has previously provided a sample

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sufficient for DNA testing pursuant to the provisions of this section.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- DNA DETECTION OF SEXUAL AND

VIOLENT OFFENDERS

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     This act would remove diversion programs from the list of criminal convictions subject to

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mandatory DNA collection.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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