An Arkansas lawmaker wants to change a law that explains from whom to collect a DNA sample.

Get arrested for a felony and Arkansas could get your DNA even without a conviction.

State Representative Dawn Creekmore is behind the push for this change in Arkansas law.

Representative Creekmore says this move is about her desire, to help police solve violent crimes. While others say the change would violate the constitution.

Mary Jean Buskin cherishes the 21 years she had with her daughter Juli.

You may recall, the young ballerina was poised to graduate from the University of Oklahoma, when she was kidnapped and killed.

“Everywhere we went where we saw something strange we would wonder is that him is that him,” says Buskin.

This not knowing went on for nine years. Finally there was a hit from Oklahoma’s DNA data base.

State Representative Dawn Creekmore has written a bill to change Arkansas’ inmate DNA collection law.

“This bill will require DNA samples to be taken upon a felony arrest,” says Creekmore.

Right now, Arkansas collects DNA only after a conviction. Creekmore says murders like Buskin’s could be solved sooner if the state would only stop waiting for a conviction before getting a DNA sample.

“Taking DNA sample is just like taking a finger print it’s not infringing on anyone’s rights,” says Creekmore.

Defense attorney Jeff Rosenzweig says this proposed law sets a dangerous precedence.

“DNA tells you so much more than a mere fingerprint,” says Creekmore.

He’s concerned innocent people’s rights to privacy could be violated.

“You have people with no particular reason to respect your privacy having access to it,” says Rosenzweig.

Supporters like the Buskins, say having a larger data base of DNA will do more good than bad.

For instance DNA could possibly free the wrongly accused, and give victims peace of mind.

“We wanted to know and the DNA made that possible,” says Buskin.

Creekmore says the next step is to file the bill in December.
Oklahoma is currently working on a similar law.

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