2012 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 54 - Criminal Procedure
Chapter 961 - Trial and Proceedings After Conviction
Section 54-102j - Dissemination of information in DNA data bank.

(a) It shall be the duty of the Division of Scientific Services within the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection to receive blood or other biological samples and to analyze, classify and file the results of DNA identification characteristics profiles of blood or other biological samples submitted pursuant to section 54-102g and to make such information available as provided in this section, except that the division shall analyze samples taken pursuant to subsection (a) of section 54-102g only as available resources allow. The results of an analysis and comparison of the identification characteristics from two or more blood or other biological samples shall be made available directly to federal, state and local law enforcement officers upon request made in furtherance of an official investigation of any criminal offense. Only when a sample or DNA profile supplied by the person making the request satisfactorily matches a profile in the data bank shall the existence of data in the data bank be confirmed or identifying information from the data bank be disseminated, except that if the results of an analysis and comparison do not reveal a match between the sample or samples supplied and a DNA profile contained in the data bank, the division may, upon request of the law enforcement officer, indicate whether the DNA profile of a named individual is contained in the data bank provided the law enforcement officer has a reasonable and articulable suspicion that such individual has committed the criminal offense being investigated. A request pursuant to this subsection may be made by personal contact, mail or electronic means. The name of the person making the request and the purpose for which the information is requested shall be maintained on file with the division.

(b) Upon the request of a person from whom a blood or other biological sample has been taken pursuant to sections 54-102g and 54-102h, a copy of such person’s DNA profile shall be furnished to such person.

(c) Upon the request of any person identified and charged with an offense as the result of a search of information in the data bank, a copy of the request for a search shall be furnished to such person so identified and charged.

(d) The Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, governing (1) the methods of obtaining information from the data bank in accordance with this section, and (2) procedures for verification of the identity and authority of the person making the request. The department shall specify the positions in that agency which require regular access to the data bank and samples submitted as a necessary function of the job.

(e) The Division of Scientific Services shall create a separate statistical data base comprised of DNA profiles of blood or other biological samples of persons whose identity is unknown. Nothing in this section or section 54-102k shall prohibit the Division of Scientific Services from sharing or otherwise disseminating the information in the statistical data base with law enforcement or criminal justice agencies within or without the state.

(f) The Division of Scientific Services may charge a reasonable fee to search and provide a comparative analysis of DNA profiles in the data bank to any authorized law enforcement agency outside of the state.

(P.A. 94-246, S. 4; P.A. 98-2; P.A. 99-218, S. 13, 16; P.A. 03-242, S. 4; P.A. 11-51, S. 134; 11-144, S. 2; 11-207, S. 4.)

History: P.A. 98-2 added “or other biological samples” to Subsec. (a); P.A. 99-218 replaced the State Police Forensic Science Laboratory with the Division of Scientific Services within the Department of Public Safety and made conforming changes, and reworded part of Subsec. (b) for gender neutrality, effective July 1, 1999; P.A. 03-242 amended Subsec. (a) to include “other biological” samples, added new Subsec. (b) to provide that upon request of a person from whom a blood or other biological sample has been taken, a copy of such person’s DNA profile shall be furnished to such person, redesignated existing Subsecs. (b), (c), (d) and (e) as new Subsecs. (c), (d), (e) and (f), respectively, made technical changes in Subsec. (d) and amended Subsec. (e) to include “other biological” samples; pursuant to P.A. 11-51, “Department of Public Safety” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection”, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 11-144 amended Subsec. (a) to add provision re confirmation or dissemination of information in data bank only when there is a satisfactory match, said provision formerly being part of Subsec. (c), and add exception re authority of division to indicate whether profile of a named individual is contained in data bank when there is no match but officer has reasonable and articulable suspicion that such individual committed offense being investigated, and amended Subsec. (c) to delete provision re confirmation or dissemination of information in data bank only when there is a satisfactory match; P.A. 11-207 amended Subsec. (a) to add exception re division to analyze samples taken pursuant to Sec. 54-102g(a) only as available resources allow.