§ 12-1.5-10. Procedures for conduct, disposition and use of DNA analysis. The department of health shall promulgate procedures to be used in the collection, submission, identification, analysis, storage and disposition of DNA samples and typing results of DNA samples submitted under this chapter. These procedures shall meet or exceed the current standards for quality assurance and proficiency testing for DNA analysis issued by the F.B.I. All DNA sample typing results, all DNA records and all DNA samples shall be securely stored in the state of Rhode Island DNA database and DNA databank respectively, in the following manner:

(1) All DNA sample typing results and the DNA records shall be stored in a computer database after all personal identifiers have been removed. Further, these records shall be accessed only through the use of an encryption code. The encryption code shall be confidential and only those persons authorized by the department of health and charged with responsibilities under this chapter shall have access to these records and shall be given the encryption code.

(2) All DNA samples shall be securely locked, with a coded locking system, in a DNA databank at the department of health and only the director of the department of health and the head of the DNA laboratory shall have access to these DNA samples to carry out the provisions of this chapter.

(3) The department of health is authorized to contract with third parties for purposes of creating a DNA record only. Any third party contracting to carry out the functions of this chapter shall be subject to the same restrictions and requirements of this chapter, and DNA samples provided to third parties pursuant to this section shall have all personal identification removed.

(4) Except as otherwise provided in § 12-1.5-11, DNA samples and DNA records collected under this chapter shall be used only for law enforcement identification purposes or to assist in the recovery of identification of human remains from disasters or for other humanitarian identification purposes, including identification of missing persons; and

(5) DNA samples and DNA records collected under this chapter shall never be used under the provisions of this chapter for the purpose of obtaining information about physical characteristics, traits or predispositions for disease.

History of Section. (P.L. 1998, ch. 33, § 1; P.L. 1998, ch. 120, § 1; P.L. 2000, ch. 109, § 13.)