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.