AN ACT CONCERNING POST-CONVICTION DNA TESTING.

HB 6983 allows individuals incarcerated after a criminal conviction to request DNA testing of evidence held by law enforcement or the courts. It directly affects convicted people seeking to prove innocence through new DNA evidence, requiring them to file a petition stating the testing relates to their conviction and the evidence contains biological material. Courts must order testing if they find a reasonable chance the results would change the outcome, the evidence still exists and wasn’t previously tested, and the request isn’t meant to delay justice. The bill guarantees legal representation for indigent petitioners and prohibits denying testing due to inability to pay costs, effective October 1, 2025.