HR1042

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HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The Congress of the United States has pending 
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before it the reauthorization of the Debbie Smith DNA backlog 
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grant program, part of the Justice of All Act of 2004 (PL 
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108-405), at current or increased levels, thereby assisting in 
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the reduction of DNA backlogs and improvement of the 
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utilization of DNA in the criminal justice system in the State 
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of Illinois and every state throughout the nation; and
 
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    WHEREAS, DNA technology is increasingly vital to ensuring 
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accuracy and fairness in the criminal justice system, but is 
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not yet considered a routine tool for criminal identification 
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by law enforcement; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Over 50,000 law enforcement investigations have 
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already been aided nationwide because of DNA matches made 
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through the FBI's Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), bringing 
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justice to victims and removing criminals from the streets; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The Innocence Project has used DNA in over 200 
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cases to exonerate persons who were wrongfully convicted of 
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crimes; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The State of Illinois and other states throughout 
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the nation have significantly expanded their DNA programs to 
 


 






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include a growing number of convicted or arrested felons to 
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match against unsolved crimes; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The demand for DNA testing in both violent and 
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non-violent crimes has continued to increase as the reliability 
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of this evidence is proven; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Many laboratories still maintain DNA backlogs of 6 
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months or longer and are unable to meet the growing demand for 
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DNA testing despite funding commitments from state and local 
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governments; and
 
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    WHEREAS, The Debbie Smith DNA backlog grant program has 
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permitted state and local governments an opportunity to begin 
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to maximize the full potential of forensic DNA through backlog 
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reduction, but much work remains to be done; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
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urge the Congress of the United States of America to 
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reauthorize the Debbie Smith
DNA backlog grant program at 
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current or increased levels this year; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be 
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delivered  to the President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate, the 
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Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, and each  member 
 


 






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of the Illinois congressional delegation.