I 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 320 

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 

JANUARY 13, 2015 

Mr. SENSENBRENNER (for himself and Mr. SWALWELL of California) 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. 

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 2015’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 The DNA Identification Act of 1994 (42 U.S.C. 

8 14132) is amended by inserting at the end the following: 


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1 ‘‘SEC. ll. DEFINITIONS. 

2 ‘‘(1) The term ‘reference DNA sample’ means 

3 a tissue, fluid, or other bodily sample of an indi4 vidual on which a DNA analysis can be carried out. 

5 ‘‘(2) The term ‘DNA analysis’ means analysis 

6 of the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) identification in7 formation from a bodily sample. 

8 ‘‘(3) The term ‘sample-to-answer DNA analysis 

9 systems’ means fully automated systems that after 

10 input of a DNA sample can perform all necessary 

11 sample preparation and analysis with no operator 

12 intervention. 

13 ‘‘(4) The term ‘qualified agencies’ means book14 ing stations, jails, prisons, detention centers, other 

15 law enforcement organizations, and facilities outside 

16 of forensic laboratories that can perform DNA anal17 ysis using sample-to-answer DNA systems on sub18 jects meeting current legislative guidelines. 

19 ‘‘(5) The term ‘operators’ means persons 

20 trained to operate a sample-to-answer DNA sys21 tem.’’. 

22 SEC. 3. REVISED QUALITY ASSURANCE AND PROFICIENCY 

23 TESTING STANDARDS. 

24 Section 210303 of the DNA Identification Act of 

25 1994 (42 U.S.C. 14131) is amended— 


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•HR 320 IH

1 (1) in subsection (a)(1)(B), by inserting after 

2 ‘‘Technology’’ the following: ‘‘, and members from 

3 Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies.’’; 

4 (2) in subsection (a)(1)(C), by inserting after 

5 ‘‘DNA’’ the following: ‘‘and separate standards for 

6 testing the proficiency of qualified agencies, and op7 erators, in conducting analyses of DNA samples 

8 using sample-to-answer DNA analysis systems.’’; 

9 (3) in subsection (a)(2), by inserting after 

10 ‘‘DNA’’ the following: ‘‘DNA and separate stand11 ards for testing the proficiency of qualified agencies, 

12 and operators, in conducting analyses of DNA sam13 ples using sample-to-answer DNA analysis sys14 tems.’’; 

15 (4) in subsection (a)(3), by inserting after 

16 ‘‘used by forensic laboratories’’ the following: ‘‘and 

17 by qualified agencies conducting analyses of DNA 

18 samples using sample-to-answer DNA analysis sys19 tems.’’; and by inserting after ‘‘determine whether a 

20 laboratory’’ the following: ‘‘, or agency,’’; 

21 (5) in subsection (a)(4), by inserting after ‘‘for 

22 purposes of this section’’ the following: ‘‘, and for 

23 qualified agencies the quality assurance guidelines 

24 recommended by the scientific working group on 

25 DNA analysis methods.’’; 


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1 (6) in subsection (c)(1)(A), by inserting after 

2 ‘‘forensic DNA analyses’’ the following: ‘‘; and quali3 fied agencies conducting analyses of DNA samples 

4 using sample-to-answer DNA analysis systems.’’; 

5 (7) in subsection (c)(1)(B), by inserting after 

6 ‘‘forensic DNA analyses’’ the following: ‘‘; and for 

7 qualified agencies conducting analyses of DNA sam8 ples using sample-to-answer DNA analysis sys9 tems.’’; 

10 (8) in subsection (c)(1)(C), by inserting after 

11 ‘‘forensic DNA analyses’’ the following: ‘‘; and quali12 fied agencies conducting analyses of DNA samples 

13 using sample-to-answer DNA analysis systems.’’; 

14 and 

15 (9) in subsection (c)(2), by inserting after ‘‘rou16 tine evidence’’ the following: ‘‘; and for qualified 

17 agencies the term ‘blind external proficiency test’ 

18 means a test that is presented to qualified agencies 

19 through a second agency and appears to the oper20 ator to involve routine DNA samples for sample-to21 answer DNA analysis systems.’’. 

22 SEC. 4. QUALIFYING AGENCIES. 

23 Section 210304 of the DNA Identification Act of 

24 1994 (42 U.S.C. 14132) is amended— 


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1 (1) in subsection (b)(2), by inserting after ‘‘lab2 oratories’’ the following: ‘‘or qualified agencies’’; 

3 (2) in subsection (b)(2)(A), by striking ‘‘; and’’ 

4 at the end and inserting a semicolon; and 

5 (3) in subsection (b)(2), by inserting the fol6 lowing new subparagraph: 

7 ‘‘(C) are a qualifying agency engaged in 

8 the intake, processing, booking, detention, or 

9 incarceration of individuals charged or con10 victed of qualifying offenses and the analysis of 

11 DNA samples is conducted on a sample-to-an12 swer DNA analysis system; and’’. 

13 SEC. 5. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA DNA ANALYSIS. 

14 Section llll of the DNA Identification Act of 

15 1994 (42 U.S.C. 14135b) is amended in subsection (b), 

16 by inserting after ‘‘the DNA shall be analyzed’’ the fol17 lowing: ‘‘on a sample-to-answer DNA analysis system’’. 

Æ 


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