Enrolled Bill Summary

            Senate Bill 1304 amends the Education Code to require the board of regents of the University of North Texas System to develop at the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth a DNA database for cases involving unidentified human remains or high-risk missing persons. The type of DNA genetic markers that may be collected in the database are limited to those that are commonly recognized as appropriate for human identification, and those that predict biological function are prohibited. The bill sets forth the criteria for the collection, submission, and destruction of DNA samples. The health science center is required to create an advisory committee to establish priorities regarding the backlog of cases involving high-risk missing persons and unidentified human remains.

            The bill provides a civil penalty and makes it a criminal offense for a person to release the results of a forensic DNA analysis to someone other than those authorized or to fail to destroy a DNA sample after identification is made and a report is issued.