Rapid DNA Act of 2014

Rapid DNA Act of 2014 - Amends the DNA Identification Act of 1994 to require:

• the advisory board on DNA quality assurance methods appointed by the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to include members from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies;
• such board to develop, and the Director to issue, standards for testing the proficiency of qualified agencies (i.e., booking stations, jails, prisons, detention centers, other law enforcement organizations and facilities outside of forensic laboratories) and operators in conducting analyses of DNA samples using sample-to-answer DNA analysis systems (i.e., fully automated systems that prepare and analyze DNA samples with no operator intervention);
• the National Institute of Justice to certify that the blind external proficiency testing program for DNA analyses has been established and made available to such qualified agencies or is not feasible; and
• the Index to facilitate law enforcement exchange of DNA identification information to include information on DNA identification records and DNA analyses prepared by such qualified agencies that are engaged in the intake, processing, booking, detention, or incarceration of individuals charged or convicted of qualifying offenses and that conduct the analysis of DNA samples on a sample-to-answer DNA analysis system.

[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5789 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5789

To establish a system for integration of Rapid DNA instruments for use 
 by law enforcement to reduce violent crime and reduce the current DNA 
                           analysis backlog.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            December 3, 2014

Mr. Sensenbrenner introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
                     the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To establish a system for integration of Rapid DNA instruments for use 
 by law enforcement to reduce violent crime and reduce the current DNA 
                           analysis backlog.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Rapid DNA Act of 2014''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    The DNA Identification Act of 1994 (42 U.S.C. 14132) is amended by 
inserting at the end the following:

``SEC. __. DEFINITIONS.

            ``(1) The term `reference DNA sample' means a tissue, 
        fluid, or other bodily sample of an individual on which a DNA 
        analysis can be carried out.
            ``(2) The term `DNA analysis' means analysis of the 
        deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) identification information from a 
        bodily sample.
            ``(3) The term `sample-to-answer DNA analysis systems' 
        means fully automated systems that after input of a DNA sample 
        can perform all necessary sample preparation and analysis with 
        no operator intervention.
            ``(4) The term `qualified agencies' means booking stations, 
        jails, prisons, detention centers, other law enforcement 
        organizations, and facilities outside of forensic laboratories 
        that can perform DNA analysis using sample-to-answer DNA 
        systems on subjects meeting current legislative guidelines.
            ``(5) The term `operators' means persons trained to operate 
        a sample-to-answer DNA system.''.

SEC. 3. REVISED QUALITY ASSURANCE AND PROFICIENCY TESTING STANDARDS.

    Section 210303 of the DNA Identification Act of 1994 (42 U.S.C. 
14131) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(1)(B), by inserting after 
        ``Technology'' the following: ``, and members from Federal, 
        State, and local law enforcement agencies.'';
            (2) in subsection (a)(1)(C), by inserting after ``DNA'' the 
        following: ``and separate standards for testing the proficiency 
        of qualified agencies, and operators, in conducting analyses of 
        DNA samples using sample-to-answer DNA analysis systems.'';
            (3) in subsection (a)(2), by inserting after ``DNA'' the 
        following: ``DNA and separate standards for testing the 
        proficiency of qualified agencies, and operators, in conducting 
        analyses of DNA samples using sample-to-answer DNA analysis 
        systems.'';
            (4) in subsection (a)(3), by inserting after ``used by 
        forensic laboratories'' the following: ``and by qualified 
        agencies conducting analyses of DNA samples using sample-to-
        answer DNA analysis systems.''; and by inserting after 
        ``determine whether a laboratory'' the following: ``, or 
        agency,'';
            (5) in subsection (a)(4), by inserting after ``for purposes 
        of this section'' the following: ``, and for qualified agencies 
        the quality assurance guidelines recommended by the scientific 
        working group on DNA analysis methods.'';
            (6) in subsection (c)(1)(A), by inserting after ``forensic 
        DNA analyses'' the following: ``; and qualified agencies 
        conducting analyses of DNA samples using sample-to-answer DNA 
        analysis systems.'';
            (7) in subsection (c)(1)(B), by inserting after ``forensic 
        DNA analyses'' the following: ``; and for qualified agencies 
        conducting analyses of DNA samples using sample-to-answer DNA 
        analysis systems.'';
            (8) in subsection (c)(1)(C), by inserting after ``forensic 
        DNA analyses'' the following: ``; and qualified agencies 
        conducting analyses of DNA samples using sample-to-answer DNA 
        analysis systems.''; and
            (9) in subsection (c)(2), by inserting after ``routine 
        evidence'' the following: ``; and for qualified agencies the 
        term `blind external proficiency test' means a test that is 
        presented to qualified agencies through a second agency and 
        appears to the operator to involve routine DNA samples for 
        sample-to-answer DNA analysis systems.''.

SEC. 4. QUALIFYING AGENCIES.

    Section 210304 of the DNA Identification Act of 1994 (42 U.S.C. 
14132) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)(2), by inserting after 
        ``laboratories'' the following: ``or qualified agencies'';
            (2) in subsection (b)(2)(A), by striking ``; and'' at the 
        end and inserting a semicolon; and
            (3) in subsection (b)(2), by inserting the following new 
        subparagraph:
                    ``(C) are a qualifying agency engaged in the 
                intake, processing, booking, detention, or 
                incarceration of individuals charged or convicted of 
                qualifying offenses and the analysis of DNA samples is 
                conducted on a sample-to-answer DNA analysis system; 
                and''.

SEC. 5. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA DNA ANALYSIS.

    Section ____ of the DNA Identification Act of 1994 (42 U.S.C. 
14135b) is amended in subsection (b), by inserting after ``the DNA 
shall be analyzed'' the following: ``on a sample-to-answer DNA analysis 
system''.
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