2023 California Code › Penal Code - PEN › PART 1 - OF CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS › TITLE 9 - OF CRIMES AGAINST THE PERSON INVOLVING SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND CRIMES AGAINST PUBLIC DECENCY AND GOOD MORALS › CHAPTER 6 - DNA and Forensic Identification Data Base and Data Bank Act of 1998 › ARTICLE 4 - Collection and Forwarding of Samples › Section 298.

298. (a) (1) (A) The Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, or the Chief Administrative Officer of the detention facility, jail, or other facility at which the blood specimens, buccal swab samples, and thumb and palm print impressions were collected shall cause these specimens, samples, and print impressions to be forwarded promptly to the Department of Justice, except that a blood specimen or buccal swab sample taken from a person arrested for the commission of a felony as specified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 296 shall be forwarded to the Department of Justice only after one of the following has occurred, which shall be deemed a finding of probable cause, whichever occurs first:
(i) A felony arrest warrant has been signed by a judicial officer pursuant to Section 813 or 817.
(ii) A grand jury indictment has been found and issued pursuant to Section 939.8, 940, or 944.
(iii) A judicial officer has determined that probable cause exists to believe the person has committed the offense for which he or she was arrested.
(B) The specimens, samples, and print impressions shall be collected by a person using a Department of Justice approved collection kit and in accordance with the requirements and procedures set forth in subdivision (b).
(2) A blood specimen or buccal swab sample taken from a person arrested for the commission of a felony as specified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 296 that has not been forwarded to the Department of Justice within six months following the arrest of that person because the agency that took the blood specimen or buccal swab sample has not received notice to forward the DNA specimen or sample to the Department of Justice for inclusion in the state’s DNA and Forensic Identification Database and Databank Program pursuant to paragraph (1) following a determination of probable cause, shall be destroyed by the agency that collected the blood specimen or buccal swab sample.
(b) (1) The Department of Justice shall provide all blood specimen vials, buccal swab collectors, mailing tubes, labels, and instructions for the collection of the blood specimens, buccal swab samples, and thumbprints. The specimens, samples, and thumbprints shall thereafter be forwarded to the DNA Laboratory of the Department of Justice for analysis of DNA and other forensic identification markers.
Additionally, the Department of Justice shall provide all full palm print cards, mailing envelopes, and instructions for the collection of full palm prints. The full palm prints, on a form prescribed by the Department of Justice, shall thereafter be forwarded to the Department of Justice for maintenance in a file for identification purposes.
(2) The withdrawal of blood shall be performed in a medically approved manner. Only health care providers trained and certified to draw blood may withdraw the blood specimens for purposes of this section.
(3) Buccal swab samples may be procured by law enforcement or corrections personnel or other individuals trained to assist in buccal swab collection.
(4) Right thumbprints and a full palm print impression of each hand shall be taken on forms prescribed by the Department of Justice. The palm print forms shall be forwarded to and maintained by the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information of the Department of Justice. Right thumbprints also shall be taken at the time of the collection of samples and specimens and shall be placed on the sample and specimen containers and forms as directed by the Department of Justice. The samples, specimens, and forms shall be forwarded to and maintained by the DNA Laboratory of the Department of Justice.
(5) The law enforcement or custodial agency collecting specimens, samples, or print impressions is responsible for confirming that the person qualifies for entry into the Department of Justice DNA and Forensic Identification Database and Databank Program prior to collecting the specimens, samples, or print impressions pursuant to this chapter.
(6) The DNA Laboratory of the Department of Justice is responsible for establishing procedures for entering databank and database information.
(c) (1) Persons authorized to draw blood or obtain samples or print impressions under this chapter for the databank or database shall not be civilly or criminally liable either for withdrawing blood when done in accordance with medically accepted procedures, or for obtaining buccal swab samples by scraping inner cheek cells of the mouth, or thumb or palm print impressions when performed in accordance with standard professional practices.
(2) There is no civil or criminal cause of action against any law enforcement agency or the Department of Justice, or any employee thereof, for a mistake in confirming a person’s or sample’s qualifying status for inclusion within the database or databank or in placing an entry in a databank or a database.
(3) The failure of the Department of Justice or local law enforcement to comply with Article 4 or any other provision of this chapter shall not invalidate an arrest, plea, conviction, or disposition.
(d) This section shall only become operative if the California Supreme Court rules to uphold the California Court of Appeal decision in People v. Buza (2014) 231 Cal.App.4th 1446 in regard to the provisions of Section 298 of the Penal Code, as amended by Section 6 of the DNA Fingerprint, Unsolved Crime and Innocence Protection Act, Proposition 69, approved by the voters at the November 2, 2004, statewide general election, in which case this section shall become operative immediately upon that ruling becoming final.
(Added by Stats. 2015, Ch. 487, Sec. 3. (AB 1492) Effective January 1, 2016. Conditionally operative, as prescribed by its own provisions, coinciding with inoperation of the previous version, as amended by Sec. 2 of Stats. 2015, Ch. 487. Note: This section was amended on Nov. 2, 2004, by initiative Prop. 69.)