June 3, 2011

HEWETT’S DNA BILL PASSES HOUSE

State Rep. Ernest Hewett hailed the House of Representatives’ approval Thursday of legislation he championed to require the collection of DNA evidence from convicted felons upon a subsequent felony arrest.

House Bill 6489 was modeled after “Katie’s Law”, in memory of Katie Sepich, a 22-year-old graduate student at New Mexico State University, who was brutally raped, strangled to death, set on fire and abandoned at a dumpsite near her home in August of 2003.

The legislation requires people arrested for any of 39 serious felony offenses to provide DNA sample before they are released from custody if they had previously been convicted of a felony.

“When Ms. Jayann Sepich, Katie’s mother, came to Connecticut to share her tragic personal story, I made a renewed commitment to do everything I could to get this bill passed,” Hewett said. “In Katie’s case, after three years, the New Mexico DNA database matched the unknown profile of her perpetrator, who had been convicted of several other crimes.”

The original bill called for DNA collection following any arrest for a serious felony.

Rep. Hewett, who was committed to finding a compromise that would get broad support in the General Assembly, said “I am pleased to have been able to get this important legislation off the ground and a step closer to becoming law. This measure has the potential to not only solve crimes, but to prevent crimes and save lives.”

The information gathered will be added to a federal DNA database. A provision in the bill allows for an individual that is exonerated to be allowed to have their DNA expunged from the system.

The bill now moves to the Senate for legislative action. The General Assembly adjourns June 8.

Ernest Hewett was elected in 2004 to represent New London’s 39th District. He is a member of the Appropriations, Judiciary and Labor & Public Employees Committees.