Florida House committee unanimously favors bill requiring DNA samples from inmates

By Michael Costeines

Published Jan. 30, 2024, 4:59 p.m. ET | Updated Jan. 30, 2024

Rep. Tom Fabricio, Tallahassee, Fla. (Photo/Florida House of Representatives)

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida House Judiciary Committee unanimously passed a bill 17-0 on Tuesday requiring all state prisoners submit a DNA sample.

Rep. Tom Fabricio, R-Mater Lakes, filed HB 533

“This bill simply requires that the Department of Corrections ensure that DNA samples are taken from all of the prisoners and that DNA evidence be uploaded to the CODIS [Combined DNA Index System] database.”

Under the bill, inmates who have not previously provided a DNA sample are required to due so by Sept. 30, 2024.

Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill, filed an identical companion bill to HB 533.

DNA evidence was first used in 1986 to convict the Golden State Killer. Florida implemented DNA evidence in its own case four years later, according to Ingoglia during the Senate Committee on Criminal Justice.

“By making the statute retroactive we have the opportunity to solve cold cases nationwide and provide closure to families and victims and exonerate cases that we may have overlooked,” Ingoglia said.

SB 533 will take effect if fully passed on July 1.