Gov. Andrew Cuomo outlined his proposal to expand New York's DNA database by requiring a DNA submission from all New Yorkers convicted of a felony or penal law misdemeanor.
"DNA can be the key to exonerating the innocent, convicting the guilty and protecting all New Yorkers in a fair and cost-effective way," Cuomo said, "Let's put New York on the cutting edge of criminal justice and become the first state in the nation to collect DNA on all crimes."
New York's penal law includes a wide range of offences such as violent crimes like homicide and sexual assault to others including fraud, perjury and gambling. Traffic laws are not included in the penal law, so someone convicted of a drunk driving misdemeanor charge would not have to submit DNA under the new proposal."