DeSantis signs legislation requiring DNA samples from inmates
Owen Girard contributed to this report
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation Friday requiring DNA samples from all inmates in the state.
The bill, HB 533, was sponsored by Rep. Tom Fabricio, R-Miami Lakes. The Senate version of the bill was sponsored by Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill.
The legislation requires the Department of Corrections to ensure that DNA samples are taken from all prisoners in the state and are uploaded to the Combined DNA Index System database.
Under the bill, inmates who have not previously provided a DNA sample are required to do so by Sept. 30, 2024.
“Capturing these DNA samples will allow law enforcement to potentially close decades-long cold cases and bring the families much needed closure they deserve,” Ingoglia said in a press release when the legislation was filed.
“Victims have rights, too, and that includes the right to know who committed atrocious crimes against their loved ones,” he added.
Ingoglia told Florida’s Voice that the current law mandating prisoners give their DNA was prospective and not retroactive.
He explained that inmates who began long terms prior to when the law was passed, have not given their DNA. Getting the information could “solve decades-long cold cases.”
Lawmakers expressed their support for the bill during the legislative process, highlighting how it would help law enforcement solve several cold cases that have been up in the air for many years.
