Full Text of Proposition

What does it do? Provides that DNA samples will be collected from all felons, and within five years, from all adults arrested for or charged with a felony. (Current California law provides only for collection of DNA samples from violent felons.)

How I plan to vote: Yes

Why? DNA evidence is so useful in identifying suspects and in proving wrongly accused people innocent that a DNA database that is as complete as possible has tremendous value. Opponents raise legitimate privacy concerns, but seem to be mislead as to the privacy protections provided in the proposed law. As I read the law (and I read the text of the proposed law fairly carefully), it seemed to have reasonable safeguards in place. For example, although it requires collection of DNA from people who have merely been arrested for a felony, it provides what look to me like quite good procedures for ensuring that someone who has not been charged, has had charges dropped, or has been acquitted can have their samples and information removed from the database. (Indeed, it looks to me as though it requires courts to routinely notify the appropriate authorities when someone is no longer a suspect and their info needs to be removed from the database.) I had to think pretty hard about this one, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to vote Yes.