Public Law 115-257 | Public Law 115–257: To amend the DNA Analysis Backlog Elimination Act of 2000 to provide additional resources to State and local prosecutors, and for other purposes.

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PUBLIC LAW 115–257—OCT. 9, 2018

132 STAT. 3660

Public Law

115–257

115th Congress

An Act

To amend the DNA Analysis Backlog Elimination Act of 2000 to provide additional resources to State and local prosecutors, and for other purposes.

Oct. 9, 2018

[H.R. 4854]

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

Justice Served Act of 2018.

SECTION 1.

34 USC 10101 note.

SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the “

Justice Served Act of 2018

”.

SEC. 2.

PROSECUTION OF DNA COLD CASES.

(a)

Debbie Smith DNA Backlog Grant Program.—

Section 2 of the DNA Analysis Backlog Elimination Act of 2000 (34 U.S.C. 40701)

is amended

—

(1)

in subsection (a), by

adding

at the end the following:

“(9)

To increase the capacity of State and local prosecution offices to address the backlog of violent crime cases in which suspects have been identified through DNA evidence.”

; and

(2)

in subsection (c), by

adding

at the end the following:

“(5)

Allocation of grant awards for prosecutors.—

For each fiscal year, not less than 5 percent, but not more than 7 percent, of the grant amounts distributed under paragraph (1) shall, if sufficient applications to justify such amounts are received by the Attorney General, be awarded for purposes described in subsection (a)(9), provided that none of the funds required to be distributed under this paragraph shall decrease or otherwise limit the availability of funds required to be awarded to States or units of local government under paragraph (3).”

(b)

Grants.

Prosecution of Cold Cases.—

Of the amounts made available to the Attorney General for a DNA Analysis and capacity enhancement program and for other local, State, and Federal forensic activities for the purpose described in section 2 of the DNA Analysis Backlog Elimination Act of 2000 (34 U.S.C. 40701) under the heading “state and local law enforcement assistance” under the heading “Office of Justice Programs” under the heading “DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE” in fiscal years 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022, not less than 5 percent, but not more than 7 percent, of such amounts shall be provided for grants for prosecutors to increase the capacity of State and local prosecution offices 132 STAT. 3661 to address cold cases involving violent crime, where suspects have been identified through DNA evidence.

Approved October 9, 2018.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 4854:

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 164 (2018):

May 15, considered and passed House.

Sept. 26, considered and passed Senate.

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