Assemblyman Mike Gatto’s (D-Los Angeles) legislation to strengthen law enforcement’s ability to solve cold cases and violent crimes in which DNA evidence is present was recently approved by the Senate Public Safety Committee.

Thousands of rape kits go unprocessed in California, Gatto said. Technological advances allow DNA to be extracted from the tiniest samples, which is beneficial when evidence from a murder or other crime has been stored for years.

The assemblyman said problems arise because there is a lack of local funding to support follow-up investigations on cold cases. The new resources created with Gatto’s AB 2440 will help law-enforcement investigate cases in which a DNA match has resulted in the identification of a suspect, or a match to DNA profile from another crime scene.

“Massive budget and personnel cuts have hampered law enforcement agencies’ ability to investigate cold cases,” Gatto said. “This leaves criminals who might otherwise be identified through DNA hits free to commit additional crimes.”

The legislation will provide $15 million to law enforcement agencies to help link stored DNA samples to unsolved rape and murder cases. AB 2440 would provide funding to significantly decrease, and possibly end, a backlog of untested evidence throughout the state.

“This legislation is necessary for families and victims who have been waiting for years to receive a phone call from investigators,” Gatto said. “This is an opportunity for victims of violent crimes to finally get the justice they deserve.”