CS for SB 678                                    First Engrossed
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       2024678e1
       
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the Forensic Investigative Genetic
    3         Genealogy Grant Program; creating s. 943.327, F.S.;
    4         defining the term “investigative genetic genealogy”;
    5         requiring that certain methods be in accordance with
    6         Department of Law Enforcement rules and compatible
    7         with certain databases; specifying the intent for
    8         certain funding; creating the Forensic Investigative
    9         Genetic Genealogy Grant Program within the Department
   10         of Law Enforcement; specifying potential grant
   11         recipients; providing purposes for the grants under
   12         the program; requiring each grant recipient to provide
   13         a report to the executive director within a certain
   14         timeframe; specifying the required contents of the
   15         report; providing rulemaking authority; providing an
   16         appropriation; providing an effective date.
   17          
   18  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   19  
   20         Section 1. Section 943.327, Florida Statutes, is created to
   21  read:
   22         943.327 Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy Grant
   23  Program.—
   24         (1) As used in this section, the term “forensic
   25  investigative genetic genealogy” means the combined application
   26  of laboratory testing, genetic genealogy, and law enforcement
   27  investigative methods to develop investigative leads in unsolved
   28  violent crimes and provide investigative leads as to the
   29  identity of unidentified human remains. Such methods must be in
   30  accordance with department rule and compatible with multiple
   31  genealogical databases that are available for law enforcement
   32  use for the purposes described in this section. For purposes of
   33  the grant program created in this section, funding is intended
   34  to be used for developing genealogy DNA profiles consisting of
   35  100,000 or more markers.
   36         (2) There is created within the department the Forensic
   37  Investigative Genetic Genealogy Grant Program to award grants to
   38  statewide and local law enforcement agencies and medical
   39  examiner’s offices to support those agencies and offices in the
   40  processing of DNA samples as specified under subsection (4).
   41         (3) The department shall annually award to statewide and
   42  local law enforcement agencies and medical examiner’s offices
   43  any funds specially appropriated for the grant program to cover
   44  expenses related to using forensic investigative genetic
   45  genealogy methods to generate investigative leads for criminal
   46  investigations of violent crimes and to aid in the
   47  identification of unidentified human remains.
   48         (4) Grants may be used in accordance with department rule
   49  for any of the following purposes:
   50         (a) The analysis of DNA samples collected under applicable
   51  legal authority using forensic investigative genetic genealogy
   52  methods for solving violent crimes.
   53         (b) The analysis of DNA samples of unidentified human
   54  remains.
   55         (5) Each grant recipient shall provide to the executive
   56  director a report no later than 1 year after receipt of funding
   57  under the grant program. The report must include all of the
   58  following:
   59         (a) The amount of funding received.
   60         (b) The number and type of cases pursued using forensic
   61  investigative genetic genealogy methods.
   62         (c) The type of forensic investigative genetic genealogy
   63  methods used, including the name of the laboratory to which such
   64  testing was outsourced, if any, and the identity of the entity
   65  conducting any genetic genealogical research.
   66         (d) The result of the testing, such as decedent
   67  identification, perpetrator identification, or no
   68  identification.
   69         (e) The amount of time it took to make an identification or
   70  to determine no identification could be made.
   71         (6) The department may adopt rules pursuant to ss.
   72  120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement and administer this section
   73  and to establish the process for the allocation of grant funds.
   74         Section 2. For the 2024-2025 fiscal year, the sum of
   75  $500,000 in nonrecurring funds is appropriated from the General
   76  Revenue Fund to the Department of Law Enforcement for the
   77  Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy Grant Program.
   78         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.