House Bill 341 amends Tennessee Code Annotated regarding the collection of biological specimens for DNA analysis. The bill stipulates that biological specimens must be gathered within thirty days of sentencing or, if the incarceration term is less than thirty days, before the completion of that term. Additionally, it replaces existing language in Section 40-35-321(d)(2) to clarify that if a person convicted of a felony or applicable misdemeanor has not provided a biological specimen, the commissioner of correction or the chief administrative officer of a local jail must order the specimen to be provided within the same thirty-day timeframe.

Furthermore, the bill introduces new subsections that allow law enforcement agencies, including the Tennessee Department of Correction, to submit biological specimens from deceased offenders who were previously convicted of qualifying offenses to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, regardless of the conviction date. This ensures that biological specimens from offenders who die while incarcerated are also submitted if they have not been previously collected. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 40-35-321(d)(1), 40-35-321, 40-35-321(d)(2)