![Rep. Janet Adkins (R-Fernandina Beach) speaking during a recent press conference on Florida's untested rape kits.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9913f37/2147483647/strip/true/crop/280x367+0+0/resize/880x1153!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmediad.publicbroadcasting.net%2Fp%2Fwfsu%2Ffiles%2Fstyles%2Fcard_280%2Fpublic%2F201509%2FJanetAdkins0918.jpg)
A Florida lawmaker has filed a measure aimed at speeding up the processing of DNA evidence collected in sexual assault investigations. That’s after a recent call by Attorney General Pam Bondi to get more funding for crime labs all across the state to test thousands of untested rape kits.
Rep. Janet Adkins (R-Fernandina Beach), the bill’s House sponsor, says this issue is close to her heart.
“Having a family member who’s been assaulted, this is personally important to me,” she said, during a recent press conference led by Bondi. “I think it’s critical, and I think it’s common sense that if DNA evidence is collected, that it’s tested.”
Under Adkins’ bill, any DNA evidence collected in a sexual assault investigation must be submitted to the statewide criminal analysis lab system within 21 days. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement would have two months to submit a plan for analyzing the untested rape kits, and has until June 30 th, 2017 to finish analyzing the evidence. Tampa Democratic Representative Janet Cruz also recently filed a similar bill.
For more news updates, follow Sascha Cordner on Twitter: @SaschaCordner .
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