Van Hollen Pushes For Changes In DNA Collection
Saturday, December 28th, 2013 -- 6:28 AM
State Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen said he hopes lawmakers early next year will reconsider some of the changes they made to the state's new law requiring DNA collection from anyone arrested for a felony.Van Hollen, a Republican, wants the biological samples to be sent directly to the state Department of Justice rather than left temporarily in the offices of the state's 72 county sheriffs and other local law enforcement agencies, where bureaucratic headaches could develop.
The attorney general has strong backing from sheriffs around the state. But with few days remaining in the legislative session early next year, it will likely prove challenging to pass any bill ? especially one on a touchy subject such as taking suspects' DNA.
In an interview, Van Hollen said that his office had worked carefully with Republican Gov. Scott Walker to put together a proposal that went to lawmakers as part of the governor's budget bill in February.
Starting in the spring of 2015, the state will collect DNA samples at every felony arrest, as well as upon conviction for any crime.
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