Senate approves drivers-license flag to alert officers of DNA matches after amendment

A lawmaker introduced Senate Bill 151 as a tool for law enforcement to act on DNA 'hits' from the state's sexual-assault kit tracking system, and the chamber approved the measure with an amendment and a unanimous vote.

The sponsor said the bill would "allow a flag on the driver's license just like you have a flag for no insurance," adding the flag would let officers and agency staff know when a person had a DNA match tied to sexual assault or homicide investigations. The sponsor told the Senate the bill was intended to help law enforcement find the person associated with a hit and secure a second sample so cases can proceed.

Lawmakers adopted an amendment, described by the sponsor as a recommendation from the state police, to require the Office of Motor Vehicles to display the flag during renewals or replacements and to withhold issuing a replacement license until the individual obtained the required second sample. "The OMV office would not replace the driver's license until that person went and got that match," the sponsor said.

On the floor, the sponsor also cited the scale of the problem: "In March, there were 900 match hits" in the state police crime lab's kit-tracking system, a figure offered to underline the measure's intended public-safety impact.

Supporters said the amendment balances investigatory needs with procedural safeguards by routing notification through OMV staff and making law-enforcement follow-up the triggering action. Opponents did not assemble a recorded floor opposition after amendment adoption and final passage.

The roll call on final passage recorded 35 yeas and 0 nays. Under the chamber's process, the amendment was entered, adopted and the bill was passed on final reading.

Next steps: SB151 will proceed to the House or to whichever processing steps are next under legislative rules.