II 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 139 

To implement the use of Rapid DNA instruments to inform decisions about 

pretrial release or detention and their conditions, to solve and prevent 

violent crimes and other crimes, to exonerate the innocent, to prevent 

DNA analysis backlogs, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JANUARY 12, 2017 

Mr. HATCH (for himself, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. CORNYN, Mrs. GILLIBRAND, 

Mr. FLAKE, and Ms. KLOBUCHAR) introduced the following bill; which 

was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

A BILL 

To implement the use of Rapid DNA instruments to inform 

decisions about pretrial release or detention and their 

conditions, to solve and prevent violent crimes and other 

crimes, to exonerate the innocent, to prevent DNA analysis backlogs, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Rapid DNA Act of 

5 2017’’. 


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•S 139 IS

1 SEC. 2. RAPID DNA INSTRUMENTS. 

2 (a) STANDARDS.—Section 210303(a) of the DNA 

3 Identification Act of 1994 (42 U.S.C. 14131(a)) is amend4 ed by adding at the end the following: 

5 ‘‘(5)(A) In addition to issuing standards as pro6 vided in paragraphs (1) through (4), the Director of 

7 the Federal Bureau of Investigation shall issue 

8 standards and procedures for the use of Rapid DNA 

9 instruments and resulting DNA analyses. 

10 ‘‘(B) In this Act, the term ‘Rapid DNA instru11 ments’ means instrumentation that carries out a 

12 fully automated process to derive a DNA analysis 

13 from a DNA sample.’’. 

14 (b) INDEX.—Paragraph (2) of section 210304(b) of 

15 the DNA Identification Act of 1994 (42 U.S.C. 

16 14132(b)(2)) is amended to read as follows: 

17 ‘‘(2) prepared by— 

18 ‘‘(A) laboratories that— 

19 ‘‘(i) have been accredited by a non20 profit professional association of persons 

21 actively involved in forensic science that is 

22 nationally recognized within the forensic 

23 science community; and 

24 ‘‘(ii) undergo external audits, not less 

25 than once every 2 years, that demonstrate 

26 compliance with standards established by 


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•S 139 IS

1 the Director of the Federal Bureau of In2 vestigation; or 

3 ‘‘(B) criminal justice agencies using Rapid 

4 DNA instruments approved by the Director of 

5 the Federal Bureau of Investigation in compli6 ance with the standards and procedures issued 

7 by the Director under section 210303(a)(5); 

8 and’’. 

9 SEC. 3. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS RELATING TO COL10 LECTION OF DNA IDENTIFICATION INFORMA11 TION. 

12 (a) FROM CERTAIN FEDERAL OFFENDERS.—Section 

13 3 of the DNA Analysis Backlog Elimination Act of 2000 

14 (42 U.S.C. 14135a) is amended— 

15 (1) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the 

16 following: ‘‘The Director of the Federal Bureau of 

17 Investigation may waive the requirements under this 

18 subsection if DNA samples are analyzed by means 

19 of Rapid DNA instruments and the results are in20 cluded in CODIS.’’; and 

21 (2) in subsection (c), by adding at the end the 

22 following: 

23 ‘‘(3) The term ‘Rapid DNA instruments’ means 

24 instrumentation that carries out a fully automated 


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1 process to derive a DNA analysis from a DNA sam2 ple.’’. 

3 (b) FROM CERTAIN DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA OF4 FENDERS.—Section 4 of the DNA Analysis Backlog 

5 Elimination Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 14135b) is amend6 ed— 

7 (1) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the 

8 following: ‘‘The Director of the Federal Bureau of 

9 Investigation may waive the requirements under this 

10 subsection if DNA samples are analyzed by means 

11 of Rapid DNA instruments and the results are in12 cluded in CODIS.’’; and 

13 (2) in subsection (c), by adding at the end the 

14 following: 

15 ‘‘(3) The term ‘Rapid DNA instruments’ means 

16 instrumentation that carries out a fully automated 

17 process to derive a DNA analysis from a DNA sam18 ple.’’. 

Æ 


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