Oklahoma felons could soon be required to submit DNA samples

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) A House subcommittee passed a bill that would require DNA samples be taken from all stat prison felons. <br/><br/>Thirty-seven other states require DNA samples to be taken on their prison

Tuesday, February 15th 2005, 6:10 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) A House subcommittee passed a bill that would require DNA samples be taken from all stat prison felons.

Thirty-seven other states require DNA samples to be taken on their prison inmates.

Oklahoma City state Representative Fred Morgan said yesterday that expansion of the state's DNA database would help solve more crimes.

Recently, authorities said they used forensic evidence to link a man who already was in custody on unrelated charges to the 1996 rape and murder of Jewell ``Juli'' Buskin, a University of Oklahoma ballet student.

A provision of the bill requires felony offenders to pay a $150 fee to cover the cost of implementing a DNA tracking program.

Officials believe up to $5-million could be collected, but $2.3-million would still be required to implement the program because many inmates couldn't pay the fee.