130th Ohio General Assembly
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Sub. S. B. No. 268  As Enrolled
(129th General Assembly)
(Substitute Senate Bill Number 268)



AN ACT
To amend sections 2901.07, 2953.51, 2953.52, and 2953.53 of the Revised Code to provide for the taking of a DNA sample from a person who is charged with a felony but not arrested for the offense or whose DNA sample related to a felony offense was not taken when required and to provide for a court order, upon the person's request, requiring the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation to seal DNA specimens, records, and profiles taken from a person when the person is found not guilty, the charges are dismissed with prejudice, or the charges are dismissed without prejudice and the statute of limitations has expired.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio:

SECTION 1. That sections 2901.07, 2953.51, 2953.52, and 2953.53 of the Revised Code be amended to read as follows:

Sec. 2901.07.  (A) As used in this section:

(1) "DNA analysis" and "DNA specimen" have the same meanings as in section 109.573 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Jail" and "community-based correctional facility" have the same meanings as in section 2929.01 of the Revised Code.

(3) "Post-release control" has the same meaning as in section 2967.01 of the Revised Code.

(4) "Head of the arresting law enforcement agency" means whichever of the following is applicable regarding the arrest in question:

(a) If the arrest was made by a sheriff or a deputy sheriff, the sheriff who made the arrest or who employs the deputy sheriff who made the arrest;

(b) If the arrest was made by a law enforcement officer of a law enforcement agency of a municipal corporation, the chief of police, marshal, or other chief law enforcement officer of the agency that employs the officer who made the arrest;

(c) If the arrest was made by a constable or a law enforcement officer of a township police department or police district police force, the constable who made the arrest or the chief law enforcement officer of the department or agency that employs the officer who made the arrest;

(d) If the arrest was made by the superintendent or a trooper of the state highway patrol, the superintendent of the state highway patrol;

(e) If the arrest was made by a law enforcement officer not identified in division (A)(4)(a), (b), (c), or (d) of this section, the chief law enforcement officer of the law enforcement agency that employs the officer who made the arrest.

(5) "Detention facility" has the same meaning as in section 2921.01 of the Revised Code.

(B)(1)(a) On and after July 1, 2011, a person who is eighteen years of age or older and who is arrested on or after July 1, 2011, for a felony offense shall submit to a DNA specimen collection procedure administered by the head of the arresting law enforcement agency. The head of the arresting law enforcement agency shall cause the DNA specimen to be collected from the person during the intake process at the jail, community-based correctional facility, detention facility, or law enforcement agency office or station to which the arrested person is taken after the arrest. The head of the arresting law enforcement agency shall cause the DNA specimen to be collected in accordance with division (C) of this section.

(b) If a person who is charged with a felony on or after July 1, 2011, has not been arrested and first appears before a court or magistrate in response to a summons, or if the head of the arresting law enforcement agency has not administered a DNA specimen collection procedure upon the person arrested for a felony in accordance with division (B)(1)(a) of this section by the time of the arraignment or first appearance of the person, the court shall order the person to appear before the sheriff or chief of police of the county or municipal corporation within twenty-four hours to submit to a DNA specimen collection procedure administered by the sheriff or chief of police. The sheriff or chief of police shall cause the DNA specimen to be collected from the person in accordance with division (C) of this section.

(c) Every court with jurisdiction over a case involving a person with respect to whom division (B)(1)(a) or (b) of this section requires the head of a law enforcement agency or a sheriff or chief of police to administer a DNA specimen collection procedure upon the person shall inquire at the time of the person's sentencing whether or not the person has submitted to a DNA specimen collection procedure pursuant to division (B)(1)(a) or (b) of this section for the original arrest or court appearance upon which the sentence is based. If the person has not submitted to a DNA specimen collection procedure for the original arrest or court appearance upon which the sentence is based, the court shall order the person to appear before the sheriff or chief of police of the county or municipal corporation within twenty-four hours to submit to a DNA specimen collection procedure administered by the sheriff or chief of police. The sheriff or chief of police shall cause the DNA specimen to be collected in accordance with division (C) of this section.

(d) If a person is in the custody of a law enforcement agency or a detention facility, if the chief law enforcement officer or chief administrative officer of the detention facility discovers that a warrant has been issued or a bill of information has been filed alleging the person to have committed an offense other than the offense for which the person is in custody, and if the other alleged offense is one for which a DNA specimen is to be collected from the person pursuant to division (B)(1)(a) or (b) of this section, the chief law enforcement officer or chief administrative officer shall cause a DNA specimen to be collected from the person in accordance with division (C) of this section.

(2) Regardless of when the conviction occurred or the guilty plea was entered, a person who has been convicted of, is convicted of, has pleaded guilty to, or pleads guilty to a felony offense, who is sentenced to a prison term or to a community residential sanction in a jail or community-based correctional facility for that offense pursuant to section 2929.16 of the Revised Code, and who does not provide a DNA specimen pursuant to division (B)(1) of this section, and a person who has been convicted of, is convicted of, has pleaded guilty to, or pleads guilty to a misdemeanor offense listed in division (D) of this section, who is sentenced to a term of imprisonment for that offense, and who does not provide a DNA specimen pursuant to division (B)(1) of this section, shall submit to a DNA specimen collection procedure administered by the director of rehabilitation and correction or the chief administrative officer of the jail or other detention facility in which the person is serving the term of imprisonment. If the person serves the prison term in a state correctional institution, the director of rehabilitation and correction shall cause the DNA specimen to be collected from the person during the intake process at the reception facility designated by the director. If the person serves the community residential sanction or term of imprisonment in a jail, a community-based correctional facility, or another county, multicounty, municipal, municipal-county, or multicounty-municipal detention facility, the chief administrative officer of the jail, community-based correctional facility, or detention facility shall cause the DNA specimen to be collected from the person during the intake process at the jail, community-based correctional facility, or detention facility. The DNA specimen shall be collected in accordance with division (C) of this section.

(3) Regardless of when the conviction occurred or the guilty plea was entered, if a person has been convicted of, is convicted of, has pleaded guilty to, or pleads guilty to a felony offense or a misdemeanor offense listed in division (D) of this section, is serving a prison term, community residential sanction, or term of imprisonment for that offense, and does not provide a DNA specimen pursuant to division (B)(1) or (2) of this section, prior to the person's release from the prison term, community residential sanction, or imprisonment, the person shall submit to, and the director of rehabilitation and correction or the chief administrative officer of the jail, community-based correctional facility, or detention facility in which the person is serving the prison term, community residential sanction, or term of imprisonment shall administer, a DNA specimen collection procedure at the state correctional institution, jail, community-based correctional facility, or detention facility in which the person is serving the prison term, community residential sanction, or term of imprisonment. The DNA specimen shall be collected in accordance with division (C) of this section.

(4)(a) Regardless of when the conviction occurred or the guilty plea was entered, if a person has been convicted of, is convicted of, has pleaded guilty to, or pleads guilty to a felony offense or a misdemeanor offense listed in division (D) of this section and the person is on probation, released on parole, under transitional control, on community control, on post-release control, or under any other type of supervised release under the supervision of a probation department or the adult parole authority for that offense, and did not provide a DNA specimen pursuant to division (B)(1), (2), or (3) of this section, the person shall submit to a DNA specimen collection procedure administered by the chief administrative officer of the probation department or the adult parole authority. The DNA specimen shall be collected in accordance with division (C) of this section. If the person refuses to submit to a DNA specimen collection procedure as provided in this division, the person may be subject to the provisions of section 2967.15 of the Revised Code.

(b) If a person to whom division (B)(4)(a) of this section applies is sent to jail or is returned to a jail, community-based correctional facility, or state correctional institution for a violation of the terms and conditions of the probation, parole, transitional control, other release, or post-release control, if the person was or will be serving a term of imprisonment, prison term, or community residential sanction for committing a felony offense or for committing a misdemeanor offense listed in division (D) of this section, and if the person did not provide a DNA specimen pursuant to division (B)(1), (2), (3), or (4)(a) of this section, the person shall submit to, and the director of rehabilitation and correction or the chief administrative officer of the jail or community-based correctional facility shall administer, a DNA specimen collection procedure at the jail, community-based correctional facility, or state correctional institution in which the person is serving the term of imprisonment, prison term, or community residential sanction. The DNA specimen shall be collected from the person in accordance with division (C) of this section.

(5) Regardless of when the conviction occurred or the guilty plea was entered, if a person has been convicted of, is convicted of, has pleaded guilty to, or pleads guilty to a felony offense or a misdemeanor offense listed in division (D) of this section, the person is not sentenced to a prison term, a community residential sanction in a jail or community-based correctional facility, a term of imprisonment, or any type of supervised release under the supervision of a probation department or the adult parole authority, and the person does not provide a DNA specimen pursuant to division (B)(1), (2), (3), (4)(a), or (4)(b) of this section, the sentencing court shall order the person to report to the county probation department immediately after sentencing to submit to a DNA specimen collection procedure administered by the chief administrative officer of the county probation office. If the person is incarcerated at the time of sentencing, the person shall submit to a DNA specimen collection procedure administered by the director of rehabilitation and correction or the chief administrative officer of the jail or other detention facility in which the person is incarcerated. The DNA specimen shall be collected in accordance with division (C) of this section.

(C) If the DNA specimen is collected by withdrawing blood from the person or a similarly invasive procedure, a physician, registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, duly licensed clinical laboratory technician, or other qualified medical practitioner shall collect in a medically approved manner the DNA specimen required to be collected pursuant to division (B) of this section. If the DNA specimen is collected by swabbing for buccal cells or a similarly noninvasive procedure, this section does not require that the DNA specimen be collected by a qualified medical practitioner of that nature. No later than fifteen days after the date of the collection of the DNA specimen, the head of the arresting law enforcement agency, the sheriff or chief of police, the chief law enforcement officer, or the chief administrative officer of the detention facility regarding a DNA specimen taken pursuant to division (B)(1) of this section, the director of rehabilitation and correction or the chief administrative officer of the jail, community-based correctional facility, or other county, multicounty, municipal, municipal-county, or multicounty-municipal detention facility in which the person is serving the prison term, community residential sanction, or term of imprisonment regarding a DNA specimen taken pursuant to division (B)(2), (3), or (4)(b) of this section, the chief administrative officer of the probation department or the adult parole authority regarding a DNA specimen taken pursuant to division (B)(4)(a) of this section, or the chief administrative officer of the county probation office, the director of rehabilitation and correction, or the chief administrative officer of the jail or other detention facility in which the person is incarcerated regarding a DNA specimen taken pursuant to division (B)(5) of this section, whichever is applicable, shall cause the DNA specimen to be forwarded to the bureau of criminal identification and investigation in accordance with procedures established by the superintendent of the bureau under division (H) of section 109.573 of the Revised Code. The bureau shall provide the specimen vials, mailing tubes, labels, postage, and instructions needed for the collection and forwarding of the DNA specimen to the bureau.

(D) The DNA specimen collection duty set forth in division (B)(1) of this section applies to any person who is eighteen years of age or older and who is arrested on or after July 1, 2011, for is arrested for or charged with any felony offense or is in any other circumstance described in that division. The DNA specimen collection duties set forth in divisions (B)(2), (3), (4)(a), (4)(b), and (5) of this section apply to any person who has been convicted of, is convicted of, has pleaded guilty to, or pleads guilty to any felony offense or any of the following misdemeanor offenses:

(1) A misdemeanor violation, an attempt to commit a misdemeanor violation, or complicity in committing a misdemeanor violation of section 2907.04 of the Revised Code;

(2) A misdemeanor violation of any law that arose out of the same facts and circumstances and same act as did a charge against the person of a violation of section 2903.01, 2903.02, 2905.01, 2907.02, 2907.03, 2907.04, 2907.05, or 2911.11 of the Revised Code that previously was dismissed or amended or as did a charge against the person of a violation of section 2907.12 of the Revised Code as it existed prior to September 3, 1996, that previously was dismissed or amended;

(3) A misdemeanor violation of section 2919.23 of the Revised Code that would have been a violation of section 2905.04 of the Revised Code as it existed prior to July 1, 1996, had it been committed prior to that date;

(4) A sexually oriented offense or a child-victim oriented offense, both as defined in section 2950.01 of the Revised Code, that is a misdemeanor, if, in relation to that offense, the offender is a tier III sex offender/child-victim offender, as defined in section 2950.01 of the Revised Code.

(E) The director of rehabilitation and correction may prescribe rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code to collect a DNA specimen, as provided in this section, from an offender whose supervision is transferred from another state to this state in accordance with the interstate compact for adult offender supervision described in section 5149.21 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 2953.51.  As used in sections 2953.51 to 2953.56 of the Revised Code:

(A) "No bill" means a report by the foreperson or deputy foreperson of a grand jury that an indictment is not found by the grand jury against a person who has been held to answer before the grand jury for the commission of an offense.

(B) "Prosecutor" has the same meaning as in section 2953.31 of the Revised Code.

(C) "Court" means the court in which a case is pending at the time a finding of not guilty in the case or a dismissal of the complaint, indictment, or information in the case is entered on the minutes or journal of the court, or the court to which the foreperson or deputy foreperson of a grand jury reports, pursuant to section 2939.23 of the Revised Code, that the grand jury has returned a no bill.

(D) "Official records" means all records that are possessed by any public office or agency that relate to a criminal case, including, but not limited to: the notation to the case in the criminal docket; all subpoenas issued in the case; all papers and documents filed by the defendant or the prosecutor in the case; all records of all testimony and evidence presented in all proceedings in the case; all court files, papers, documents, folders, entries, affidavits, or writs that pertain to the case; all computer, microfilm, microfiche, or microdot records, indices, or references to the case; all index references to the case; all fingerprints and photographs; all DNA specimens, DNA records, and DNA profiles; all records and investigative reports pertaining to the case that are possessed by any law enforcement officer or agency, except that any records or reports that are the specific investigatory work product of a law enforcement officer or agency are not and shall not be considered to be official records when they are in the possession of that officer or agency; and all investigative records and reports other than those possessed by a law enforcement officer or agency pertaining to the case. "Official records" does not include records or reports maintained pursuant to section 2151.421 of the Revised Code by a public children services agency or the department of job and family services.

(E) "DNA database," "DNA record," "DNA specimen," and "law enforcement agency" have the same meanings as in section 109.573 of the Revised Code.

(F) "Fingerprints filed for record" has the same meaning as in section 2953.31 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 2953.52.  (A)(1) Any person, who is found not guilty of an offense by a jury or a court or who is the defendant named in a dismissed complaint, indictment, or information, may apply to the court for an order to seal his the person's official records in the case. Except as provided in section 2953.61 of the Revised Code, the application may be filed at any time after the finding of not guilty or the dismissal of the complaint, indictment, or information is entered upon the minutes of the court or the journal, whichever entry occurs first.

(2) Any person, against whom a no bill is entered by a grand jury, may apply to the court for an order to seal his official records in the case. Except as provided in section 2953.61 of the Revised Code, the application may be filed at any time after the expiration of two years after the date on which the foreman foreperson or deputy foreman foreperson of the grand jury reports to the court that the grand jury has reported a no bill.

(B)(1) Upon the filing of an application pursuant to division (A) of this section, the court shall set a date for a hearing and shall notify the prosecutor in the case of the hearing on the application. The prosecutor may object to the granting of the application by filing an objection with the court prior to the date set for the hearing. The prosecutor shall specify in the objection the reasons he the prosecutor believes justify a denial of the application.

(2) The court shall do each of the following, except as provided in division (B)(3) of this section:

(a)(i) Determine whether the person was found not guilty in the case, or the complaint, indictment, or information in the case was dismissed, or a no bill was returned in the case and a period of two years or a longer period as required by section 2953.61 of the Revised Code has expired from the date of the report to the court of that no bill by the foreman foreperson or deputy foreman foreperson of the grand jury;

(ii) If the complaint, indictment, or information in the case was dismissed, determine whether it was dismissed with prejudice or without prejudice and, if it was dismissed without prejudice, determine whether the relevant statute of limitations has expired;

(b) Determine whether criminal proceedings are pending against the person;

(c) If the prosecutor has filed an objection in accordance with division (B)(1) of this section, consider the reasons against granting the application specified by the prosecutor in the objection;

(d) Weigh the interests of the person in having the official records pertaining to the case sealed against the legitimate needs, if any, of the government to maintain those records.

(3) If the court determines after complying with division (B)(2)(a) of this section that the person was found not guilty in the case, that the complaint, indictment, or information in the case was dismissed with prejudice, or that the complaint, indictment, or information in the case was dismissed without prejudice and that the relevant statute of limitations has expired, the court shall issue an order to the superintendent of the bureau of criminal identification and investigation directing that the superintendent seal or cause to be sealed the official records in the case consisting of DNA specimens that are in the possession of the bureau and all DNA records and DNA profiles. The determinations and considerations described in divisions (B)(2)(b), (c), and (d) of this section do not apply with respect to a determination of the court described in this division.

(4) The determinations described in this division are separate from the determination described in division (B)(3) of this section. If the court determines, after complying with division (B)(2) of this section, that the person was found not guilty in the case, that the complaint, indictment, or information in the case was dismissed, or that a no bill was returned in the case and that the appropriate period of time has expired from the date of the report to the court of the no bill by the foreman foreperson or deputy foreman foreperson of the grand jury; that no criminal proceedings are pending against the person; and the interests of the person in having the records pertaining to the case sealed are not outweighed by any legitimate governmental needs to maintain such records, or if division (E)(2)(b) of section 4301.69 of the Revised Code applies, in addition to the order required under division (B)(3) of this section, the court shall issue an order directing that all official records pertaining to the case be sealed and that, except as provided in section 2953.53 of the Revised Code, the proceedings in the case be deemed not to have occurred.

(5) Any DNA specimens, DNA records, and DNA profiles ordered to be sealed under this section shall not be sealed if the person with respect to whom the order applies is otherwise eligible to have DNA records or a DNA profile in the national DNA index system.

Sec. 2953.53.  (A) The court shall send notice of any order to seal official records issued pursuant to division (B)(3) of section 2953.52 of the Revised Code to the bureau of criminal identification and investigation and shall send notice of any order issued pursuant to division (B)(4) of that section to any public office or agency that the court knows or has reason to believe may have any record of the case, whether or not it is an official record, that is the subject of the order. The notice shall be sent by certified mail, return receipt requested.

(B) A person whose official records have been sealed pursuant to an order issued pursuant to section 2953.52 of the Revised Code may present a copy of that order and a written request to comply with it, to a public office or agency that has a record of the case that is the subject of the order.

(C) An order to seal official records issued pursuant to section 2953.52 of the Revised Code applies to every public office or agency that has a record of the case that is the subject of the order, regardless of whether it receives notice of the hearing on the application for the order to seal the official records or receives a copy of the order to seal the official records pursuant to division (A) or (B) of this section.

(D) Upon receiving a copy of an order to seal official records pursuant to division (A) or (B) of this section or upon otherwise becoming aware of an applicable order to seal official records issued pursuant to section 2953.52 of the Revised Code, a public office or agency shall comply with the order and, if applicable, with the provisions of section 2953.54 of the Revised Code, except that it may maintain a record of the case that is the subject of the order if the record is maintained for the purpose of compiling statistical data only and does not contain any reference to the person who is the subject of the case and the order.

A public office or agency also may maintain an index of sealed official records, in a form similar to that for sealed records of conviction as set forth in division (F) of section 2953.32 of the Revised Code, access to which may not be afforded to any person other than the person who has custody of the sealed official records. The sealed official records to which such an index pertains shall not be available to any person, except that the official records of a case that have been sealed may be made available to the following persons for the following purposes:

(1) To the person who is the subject of the records upon written application, and to any other person named in the application, for any purpose;

(2) To a law enforcement officer who was involved in the case, for use in the officer's defense of a civil action arising out of the officer's involvement in that case;

(3) To a prosecuting attorney or the prosecuting attorney's assistants to determine a defendant's eligibility to enter a pre-trial diversion program established pursuant to section 2935.36 of the Revised Code;

(4) To a prosecuting attorney or the prosecuting attorney's assistants to determine a defendant's eligibility to enter a pre-trial diversion program under division (E)(2)(b) of section 4301.69 of the Revised Code.

SECTION 2.  That existing sections 2901.07, 2953.51, 2953.52, and 2953.53 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.

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