DNA, gay-therapy bills advance in Legislature

The state could take DNA samples from people convicted for certain disorderly persons offenses under a bill that a Senate committee approved on Thursday.

Other legislation that advanced Thursday included bills to outlaw gay conversion therapy for minors and to crack down on inmates receiving government benefits. Lawmakers also debated whether to prohibit employers from conducting background checks on job applicants before extending a conditional job offer.

Disorderly persons

Under a bill that the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee approved unanimously, people convicted of shoplifting, prostitution, drug offenses or certain other disorderly persons crimes would have to submit to DNA sampling.

Currently, people convicted of first- through fourth-degree crimes must submit a DNA sample to the state, which adds it to a database and tries to match it with samples found at crime scenes.

By expanding the DNA database, we can greatly improve the ability of law enforcement agencies to positively identify the perpetrator and reduce the number of false convictions, said Sen. Paul Sarlo, D-Wood-Ridge, one of the bills sponsors.

The legislation heads to the full Senate next. An Assembly version has not yet come up in committee.

Conversion therapy

Legislation prohibiting gay-conversion therapy, which attempts to help people change their sexual orientation, was approved by an Assembly committee.

The bill would apply to licensed professionals, such as psychiatrists or social workers, and bar them from engaging in sexual-orientation change efforts with a person under 18 years old.

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DNA, gay-therapy bills advance in Legislature