SAFER Act of 2012

openUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

24 May 2012

Last action

2 January 2013 · Floor

Status

Message on House action received in Senate and at desk: House amendments to Senate bill.

Summary

Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence Registry Act of 2012 or the SAFER Act of 2012 - Amends the DNA Analysis Backlog Elimination Act of 2000 to authorize the Attorney General to make Debbie Smith grants under such Act to states or local governments to conduct audits of samples of sexual assault evidence that are awaiting testing, provided such government submits an audit plan that includes a good-faith estimate of the number of such samples. Requires 7% of Debbie Smith grant funds distributed in FY2013-FY2017 to be awarded for such purpose if sufficient applications are received, provided such award doesn't decrease funds for other distribution requirements. Requires the Attorney General to establish a Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence Registry that: (1) allows state and local governments to enter specified information about samples of sexual assault evidence in their possession that are awaiting testing, and (2) tracks the testing and processing of such samples. Requires a government: (1) to complete a funded audit and enter such information about the sample into the Registry within one year after receiving a grant under this Act, (2) within 21 days after receiving a sample that was not in such government's possession at the time of such audit, to enter information about such sample into the Registry, (3) to update the status of a sample within 30 days after any change, and (4) to assign each sample a unique numeric or alphanumeric identifier. Exempts from such Registry-requirements samples that are not considered criminal evidence or that relate to a sexual assault for which the prosecution of each perpetrator is barred by a statute of limitations. Requires the Attorney General to make publicly available on a website aggregate non-individualized and non-personally identifying data compiled from information required to be entered into the Registry, to allow for comparison of backlog data by state and local governments. Requires, for each fiscal year through FY2017, not less than: (1) 40% of Debbie Smith grant amounts to be awarded to carry out DNA analyses of samples from crime scenes for inclusion in the Combined DNA Index System, and (2) 75% of grant amounts be awarded for a combination of that purpose and to increase the capacity of state or local government laboratories to carry out DNA analyses.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

24 May 2012
Introduced
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Source: IntroReferral
24 May 2012
Introduced
Introduced in Senate
Source: IntroReferral
20 September 2012
Reported
Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
Source: Committee
30 December 2012
Floor
Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S8551-8552)
Source: Floor
30 December 2012
Passed
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
Source: Floor
30 December 2012
Discharge
Senate Committee on the Judiciary discharged by Unanimous Consent.
Source: Discharge
30 December 2012
Committee
Senate Committee on the Judiciary discharged by Unanimous Consent.
Source: Committee
31 December 2012
Floor
Held at the desk.
Source: Floor
31 December 2012
Floor
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Source: Floor
31 December 2012
Floor
Received in the House.
Source: Floor
2 January 2013
Floor
Message on House action received in Senate and at desk: House amendments to Senate bill.
Source: Floor
2 January 2013
Passed
The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
Source: Floor
2 January 2013
Passed
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Source: Floor
2 January 2013
Passed
On passage Passed without objection.
Source: Floor
2 January 2013
Passed
Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed without objection.
Source: Floor
2 January 2013
Floor
Considered by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR H7580-7584)
Source: Floor
2 January 2013
Floor
Mr. Smith (TX) asked unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table and consider.
Source: Floor

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

Engrossed Amendment House · 2 January 2013 · Official file
Engrossed in Senate · 30 December 2012 · Official file
Introduced in Senate · 24 May 2012 · Official file

Documents

8 official files

Engrossed Amendment House (text)
Engrossed Amendment House · EN · 2 January 2013
View Download Open at official source
Engrossed Amendment House (PDF)
Engrossed Amendment House · EN · 2 January 2013
View Download Open at official source
Engrossed in Senate (text)
Engrossed in Senate · EN · 30 December 2012
View Download Open at official source
Engrossed in Senate (PDF)
Engrossed in Senate · EN · 30 December 2012
View Download Open at official source
Passed Senate amended
summary · EN · 30 December 2012
Open at official source
Introduced in Senate (text)
Introduced in Senate · EN · 24 May 2012
View Download Open at official source
Introduced in Senate (PDF)
Introduced in Senate · EN · 24 May 2012
View Download Open at official source
Introduced in Senate
summary · EN · 24 May 2012
Open at official source

Related records

related to → SAFER Act of 2011
related to → SAFER Act of 2012
related to → Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2012

Sources

PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.

Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/senate-bill/3250
Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/112/s/3250
us · 112-s-3250 · source updated 10 August 2026