115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 139 

AN ACT 

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. 
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†S 139 ES

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’’. 

6 SEC. 2. RAPID DNA INSTRUMENTS. 

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

8 Identification Act of 1994 (42 U.S.C. 14131(a)) is amend9 ed by adding at the end the following: 

10 ‘‘(5)(A) In addition to issuing standards as pro11 vided in paragraphs (1) through (4), the Director of 

12 the Federal Bureau of Investigation shall issue 

13 standards and procedures for the use of Rapid DNA 

14 instruments and resulting DNA analyses. 

15 ‘‘(B) In this Act, the term ‘Rapid DNA instru16 ments’ means instrumentation that carries out a 

17 fully automated process to derive a DNA analysis 

18 from a DNA sample.’’. 

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

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

21 14132(b)(2)) is amended to read as follows: 

22 ‘‘(2) prepared by— 

23 ‘‘(A) laboratories that— 

24 ‘‘(i) have been accredited by a non25 profit professional association of persons 
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1 actively involved in forensic science that is 

2 nationally recognized within the forensic 

3 science community; and 

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

5 than once every 2 years, that demonstrate 

6 compliance with standards established by 

7 the Director of the Federal Bureau of In8 vestigation; or 

9 ‘‘(B) criminal justice agencies using Rapid 

10 DNA instruments approved by the Director of 

11 the Federal Bureau of Investigation in compli12 ance with the standards and procedures issued 

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

14 and’’. 

15 SEC. 3. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS RELATING TO COL16 LECTION OF DNA IDENTIFICATION INFORMA17 TION. 

18 (a) FROM CERTAIN FEDERAL OFFENDERS.—Section 

19 3 of the DNA Analysis Backlog Elimination Act of 2000 

20 (42 U.S.C. 14135a) is amended— 

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

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

23 Investigation may waive the requirements under this 

24 subsection if DNA samples are analyzed by means 
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1 of Rapid DNA instruments and the results are in2 cluded in CODIS.’’; and 

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

4 following: 

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

6 instrumentation that carries out a fully automated 

7 process to derive a DNA analysis from a DNA sam8 ple.’’. 

9 (b) FROM CERTAIN DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA OF10 FENDERS.—Section 4 of the DNA Analysis Backlog 

11 Elimination Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 14135b) is amend12 ed— 

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

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

15 Investigation may waive the requirements under this 

16 subsection if DNA samples are analyzed by means 

17 of Rapid DNA instruments and the results are in18 cluded in CODIS.’’; and 

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

20 following: 

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

22 instrumentation that carries out a fully automated 
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1 process to derive a DNA analysis from a DNA sam2 ple.’’. 

Passed the Senate May 16, 2017. 

Attest: 

Secretary. 
115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 139 

AN ACT 

To implement the use of Rapid DNA instruments 

for other purposes. innocent, to prevent DNA analysis backlogs, and violent crimes and other crimes, to exonerate the tention and their conditions, to solve and prevent to inform decisions about pretrial release or de-