Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Senate committee advances bill to allow rapid DNA testing pilot at booking stations
Summary
SB 401 cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee to authorize a pilot program for rapid DNA testing at booking stations; proponents said the technology can produce a qualifying DNA profile in about 90 minutes and help close cold cases, while the state crime lab estimated a two‑station, two‑year pilot could cost about $1.8 million.
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted to pass Senate Bill 401, which would allow Arkansas to pilot rapid DNA testing at qualifying booking stations.
Senator Greg Lettigan, the bill sponsor, said the measure would put Arkansas among more than 30 states that permit rapid DNA use in limited circumstances. Proponents told the committee rapid DNA can return a qualifying profile in roughly 90 minutes and be used to search CODIS and other databases to identify links to unsolved…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
