Washington Bills Aim to Preserve DNA Evidence in Short Term

In an effort to preserve DNA evidence in Washington State, Representative Tina Orwall (D-Des Moines) and Senator Jeannie Darneille (D-Tacoma) are sponsoring two bills that would impose an 18-month moratorium on destroying DNA evidence.

 

The Associated Press reported that Orwall and Darneille would create a work group to recommend permanent, statewide standards for preserving DNA material. Since Washington is among eight states where evidence is not automatically preserved, defendants can file motions to have evidence preserved for use during possible appeals only after they are convicted.

 

The idea for the pair’s DNA preservation bills, House Bill 2468 and Senate Bill 6310, was thought up by the

Innocence Project Northwest

after a review of about 70 potential DNA cases revealed that biological evidence was destroyed in eight and lost in one.

 

HB 2468 is set for a public hearing on Wednesday before the House Public Safety Committee.

 

Learn more about

evidence preservation

and about

House Bill 2468 and Senate Bill 6310

.

 


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