RALEIGH -- North Carolina's database of DNA samples is expected to double under a plan that won final approval yesterday in the General Assembly.
Legislation to expand DNA testing from some convicted felons to all convicted felons - even those guilty of nonviolent crimes - now goes to Gov. Mike Easley for his consideration.
The N.C. House approved the bill by a vote of 103-5 with no debate. The N.C. Senate gave its unanimous support Tuesday.
"We think this will bring more certainty to the criminal-justice system," said Sen. Tony Rand, D-Cumberland, the Senate majority leader. "This is another step on a long journey down the road to have a DNA system that would be very similar to our fingerprint system."
If the bill becomes law, North Carolina would join 28 other states that take DNA samples - a person's genetic fingerprint - from all convicted felons.
Since 1994, North Carolina has collected samples from people convicted of some violent felonies, stalking and assaulting the handicapped.
The state DNA bank, which contains about 40,000 samples, is linked to the national database, the Combined DNA Index System.
Starting Dec. 1, anyone convicted of a felony or found not guilty of a felony by reason of insanity would have to give a DNA sample. It would also require samples from inmates already serving time on felony convictions when they are released from prison.
State officials have said they expect to collect 47,000 new samples the first year and 30,000 the second year.
The $14.8 billion budget approved June 30 includes $1.6 million to hire five State Bureau of Investigation agents - and to buy supplies and equipment- to help with the testing. Another six agents would be hired to reduce the backlog of untested rape kits.
Based on Virginia's record in after a similar expansion, North Carolina officials expect to solve more crimes by increasing the DNA database.
Virginia's database, created in 1989, contains 195,000 DNA samples. It is one of the states that tests all convicted felons, and in January, it started requiring samples of people arrested on most felony charges. Officials there have logged more than 1,100 "cold hits", - matches between people entering prison and those already serving time with evidence from unsolved felonies. Eighty-two percent stemmed from nonviolent felonies.
In comparison, North Carolina's database has produced about 100 cold hits.
"Putting DNA evidence to better use will help us crack more cases and stop repeat offenders," Attorney General Roy Cooper said in a statement.
"An expanded database will improve our ability to catch and convict criminals, especially in cases without a suspect," he said. "More agents working to analyze DNA evidence means we'll be able to get criminals off the streets sooner."