FRANKFORT, Ky. - Significant laws relating to Kentucky's criminal justice system were passed by the General Assembly and signed into law by Gov. Steve Beshear, including initiatives to curb the rising costs of incarceration and improve the safety of law enforcement officers.
Among the most significant is House Bill 683, an omnibus criminal justice bill that requires that DNA samples be taken from all felons, including juveniles ages 13 and older who are convicted of violent or felony sex offenses. The Kentucky State Police Forensic Lab estimates the legislation could yield an additional 15,000 samples per year for the state database, with the potential to solve an additional 250 cases annually.
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