Oregon Senate OKs bill making DNA testing accessible
SALEM, Ore. (AP) – There have been almost 500 exonerations nationally based on DNA evidence of people wrongfully convicted of crimes, but none in Oregon, where the majority of post-conviction motions for DNA testing are denied by Oregon courts.
On Tuesday, the Oregon Senate took a step toward lowering the barriers after it unanimously passed Senate Bill 321, which modifies procedures by which a person convicted of a felony initiates proceedings to obtain DNA testing.
The Oregon Innocence Project, which championed the bill, thanked senators for making post-conviction DNA testing more accessible for the wrongfully convicted and recognizing the rights of innocent Oregonians.
The bill now goes to the House.
