ASSEMBLY JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
STATEMENT TO
ASSEMBLY, No. 3004
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
DATED: SEPTEMBER 19, 2024
The Assembly Judiciary Committee reports favorably Assembly
Bill No. 3004.
This bill limits the purposes for which genetic testing may be
conducted on DNA samples taken from newborns and crime victims.
Current law generally requires the informed consent of a person, or
person’s representative, in order to obtain a person’s genetic
information. However, this informed consent requirement does not
apply to the use of a person’s DNA by a State, county, municipal, or
federal law enforcement agency for the purposes of establishing the
identity of a person in the course of a criminal investigation or
prosecution, or for the purposes of newborn screening. Recent reports
indicate that DNA samples of newborns, crime victims, and witnesses
have been used to convict a family member of the newborn, the crime
victim or witness, or a member of the victim’s or witness’ family.
Under the bill, a DNA sample from a victim of or witness to a
crime is only to be used to establish the identity of a person who is the
subject of the criminal investigation or prosecution for which the
sample was obtained. The provisions of the bill further provide that a
DNA sample taken from a newborn may only be used for the purpose
of detecting disorders or conditions for which newborn screening is
explicitly authorized pursuant to the State’s Newborn Screening
Program in the Department of Health.
The bill permits the disclosure of genetic information from an
individual pursuant to a validly executed warrant or upon an order of a
court of competent jurisdiction. Further, a person may disclose or be
compelled to disclose the identity of an individual upon whom a
genetic test has been performed pursuant to a validly executed warrant.
This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2024-2025 session
pending technical review. As reported, the bill includes the changes
required by technical review, which has been performed.