Rapid DNA Act of 2017

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. Short title This Act may be cited as the Rapid DNA Act of 2017 2. Rapid DNA instruments (a) Standards Section 210303(a) of the DNA Identification Act of 1994 ( 42 U.S.C. 14131(a) (5) (A) In addition to issuing standards as provided in paragraphs (1) through (4), the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation shall issue standards and procedures for the use of Rapid DNA instruments and resulting DNA analyses. (B) In this Rapid DNA instruments . (b) Index Paragraph (2) of section 210304(b) of the DNA Identification Act of 1994 ( 42 U.S.C. 14132(b)(2) (2) prepared by— (A) laboratories that— (i) have been accredited by a nonprofit professional association of persons actively involved in forensic science that is nationally recognized within the forensic science community; and (ii) undergo external audits, not less than once every 2 years, that demonstrate compliance with standards established by the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; or (B) criminal justice agencies using Rapid DNA instruments approved by the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in compliance with the standards and procedures issued by the Director under section 210303(a)(5); and . 3. Conforming amendments relating to collection of DNA identification information (a) From certain Federal offenders Section 3 of the DNA Analysis Backlog Elimination Act of 2000 ( 42 U.S.C. 14135a (1) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the following: The Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation may waive the requirements under this subsection if DNA samples are analyzed by means of Rapid DNA instruments and the results are included in CODIS. (2) in subsection (c), by adding at the end the following: (3) The term Rapid DNA instruments . (b) From certain District of Columbia offenders Section 4 of the DNA Analysis Backlog Elimination Act of 2000 ( 42 U.S.C. 14135b (1) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the following: The Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation may waive the requirements under this subsection if DNA samples are analyzed by means of Rapid DNA instruments and the results are included in CODIS. (2) in subsection (c), by adding at the end the following: (3) The term Rapid DNA instruments . May 11, 2017 Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed

Summary: Rapid DNA Act of 2017 (Sec. 2) This bill amends the DNA Identification Act of 1994 to require the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to issue standards and procedures for using Rapid DNA instruments to analyze DNA samples of criminal offenders. Rapid DNA instruments carry out a fully automated process to create a DNA analysis from a DNA sample. DNA samples prepared by criminal justice agencies using Rapid DNA instruments in compliance the FBI-issued standards and procedures may be included in the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). (Sec. 3) The bill amends the DNA Analysis Backlog Elimination Act of 2000 to allow the FBI to waive certain existing requirements if a DNA sample is analyzed using Rapid DNA instruments and the results are included in CODIS.