ARTICLE 4. Collection and Forwarding of Samples [298. - 298.3.]

Cal. Penal Code - PEN 4.

in effect

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 298. Section 298.

(a) The Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, or the Chief Administrative Officer of the detention facility, jail, or other facility at which the blood specimens, buccal swab samples, and thumb and palm print impressions were collected shall cause these specimens, samples, and print impressions to be forwarded promptly to the Department of Justice. The specimens, samples, and print impressions shall be collected by a person using a Department of Justice approved collection kit and in accordance with the requirements and procedures set forth in subdivision (b). (b) (1) The Department of Justice shall provide all blood specimen vials, buccal swab collectors, mailing tubes, labels, and instructions for the collection of the blood specimens, buccal swab samples, and thumbprints. The specimens, samples, and thumbprints shall thereafter be forwarded to the DNA Laboratory of the Department of Justice for analysis of DNA and other forensic identification markers. Additionally, the Department of Justice shall provide all full palm print cards, mailing envelopes, and instructions for the collection of full palm prints. The full palm prints, on a form prescribed by the Department of Justice, shall thereafter be forwarded to the Department of Justice for maintenance in a file for identification purposes. (2) The withdrawal of blood shall be performed in a medically approved manner. Only health care providers trained and certified to draw blood may withdraw the blood specimens for purposes of this section. (3) Buccal swab samples may be procured by law enforcement or corrections personnel or other individuals trained to assist in buccal swab collection. (4) Right thumbprints and a full palm print impression of each hand shall be taken on forms prescribed by the Department of Justice. The palm print forms shall be forwarded to and maintained by the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information of the Department of Justice. Right thumbprints also shall be taken at the time of the collection of samples and specimens and shall be placed on the sample and specimen containers and forms as directed by the Department of Justice. The samples, specimens, and forms shall be forwarded to and maintained by the DNA Laboratory of the Department of Justice. (5) The law enforcement or custodial agency collecting specimens, samples, or print impressions is responsible for confirming that the person qualifies for entry into the Department of Justice DNA Database and Databank Program prior to collecting the specimens, samples, or print impressions pursuant to this chapter. (6) The DNA Laboratory of the Department of Justice is responsible for establishing procedures for entering databank and database information. (c) (1) Persons authorized to draw blood or obtain samples or print impressions under this chapter for the databank or database shall not be civilly or criminally liable either for withdrawing blood when done in accordance with medically accepted procedures, or for obtaining buccal swab samples by scraping inner cheek cells of the mouth, or thumb or palm print impressions when performed in accordance with standard professional practices. (2) There is no civil or criminal cause of action against any law enforcement agency or the Department of Justice, or any employee thereof, for a mistake in confirming a person’s or sample’s qualifying status for inclusion within the database or databank or in placing an entry in a databank or a database. (3) The failure of the Department of Justice or local law enforcement to comply with Article 4 or any other provision of this chapter shall not invalidate an arrest, plea, conviction, or disposition. (d) This section shall become inoperative if the California Supreme Court rules to uphold the California Court of Appeal decision in People v. Buza (2014) 231 Cal.App.4th 1446 in regard to the provisions of Section 298 of the Penal Code, as amended by Section 6 of the DNA Fingerprint, Unsolved Crime and Innocence Protection Act, Proposition 69, approved by the voters at the November 2, 2004, statewide general election, in which case this section shall become inoperative immediately upon that ruling becoming final.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 298.1. Section 298.1.

(a) On and after January 1, 1999, any person who refuses to give any or all of the following, blood specimens, saliva samples, or thumb or palm print impressions as required by this chapter, once he or she has received written notice from the Department of Justice, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, any law enforcement personnel, or officer of the court that he or she is required to provide specimens, samples, and print impressions pursuant to this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor. The refusal or failure to give any or all of the following, a blood specimen, saliva sample, or thumb or palm print impression is punishable as a separate offense by both a fine of five hundred dollars ($500) and imprisonment of up to one year in a county jail, or if the person is already imprisoned in the state prison, by sanctions for misdemeanors according to a schedule determined by the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. (b) (1) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), authorized law enforcement, custodial, or corrections personnel, including peace officers as defined in Sections 830, 830.1, subdivision (d) of Section 830.2, Sections 830.38, 830.5, or 830.55, may employ reasonable force to collect blood specimens, saliva samples, or thumb or palm print impressions pursuant to this chapter from individuals who, after written or oral request, refuse to provide those specimens, samples, or thumb or palm print impressions. (2) The withdrawal of blood shall be performed in a medically approved manner in accordance with the requirements of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 298. (3) The use of reasonable force as provided in this subdivision shall be carried out in a manner consistent with regulations and guidelines adopted pursuant to subdivision (c). (c) (1) The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the Division of Juvenile Justice shall adopt regulations governing the use of reasonable force as provided in subdivision (b), which shall include the following: (A) “Use of reasonable force” shall be defined as the force that an objective, trained, and competent correctional employee, faced with similar facts and circumstances, would consider necessary and reasonable to gain compliance with this chapter. (B) The use of reasonable force shall not be authorized without the prior written authorization of the supervising officer on duty. The authorization shall include information that reflects the fact that the offender was asked to provide the requisite specimen, sample, or impression and refused. (C) The use of reasonable force shall be preceded by efforts to secure voluntary compliance with this section. (D) If the use of reasonable force includes a cell extraction, the regulations shall provide that the extraction be video recorded. (2) The Corrections Standards Authority shall adopt guidelines governing the use of reasonable force as provided in subdivision (b) for local detention facilities, which shall include the following: (A) “Use of reasonable force” shall be defined as the force that an objective, trained and competent correctional employee, faced with similar facts and circumstances, would consider necessary and reasonable to gain compliance with this chapter. (B) The use of reasonable force shall not be authorized without the prior written authorization of the supervising officer on duty. The authorization shall include information that reflects the fact that the offender was asked to provide the requisite specimen, sample, or impression and refused. (C) The use of reasonable force shall be preceded by efforts to secure voluntary compliance with this section. (D) If the use of reasonable force includes a cell extraction, the extraction shall be video recorded. (3) The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Division of Juvenile Justice, and the Corrections Standards Authority shall report to the Legislature not later than January 1, 2005, on the use of reasonable force pursuant to this section. The report shall include, but is not limited to, the number of refusals, the number of incidents of the use of reasonable force under this section, the type of force used, the efforts undertaken to obtain voluntary compliance, if any, and whether any medical attention was needed by the prisoner or personnel as a result of force being used.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 298.2. Section 298.2.

(a) Any person who is required to submit a specimen sample or print impression pursuant to this chapter who engages or attempts to engage in any of the following acts is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for two, three, or four years: (1) Knowingly facilitates the collection of a wrongfully attributed blood specimen, buccal swab sample, or thumb or palm print impression, with the intent that a government agent or employee be deceived as to the origin of a DNA profile or as to any identification information associated with a specimen, sample, or print impression required for submission pursuant to this chapter. (2) Knowingly tampers with any specimen, sample, print, or the collection container for any specimen or sample, with the intent that any government agent or employee be deceived as to the identity of the person to whom the specimen, sample, or print relates.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 298.3. Section 298.3.

(a) To ensure expeditious and economical processing of offender specimens and samples for inclusion in the FBI’s CODIS System and the state’s DNA Database and Data Bank Program, the Department of Justice DNA Laboratory is authorized to contract with other laboratories, whether public or private, including law enforcement laboratories, that have the capability of fully analyzing offender specimens or samples within 60 days of receipt, for the anonymous analysis of specimens and samples for forensic identification testing as provided in this chapter and in accordance with the quality assurance requirement established by CODIS and ASCLD/LAB. (b) Contingent upon the availability of sufficient funds in the state’s DNA Identification Fund established pursuant to Section 76104.6, the Department of Justice DNA Laboratory shall immediately contract with other laboratories, whether public or private, including law enforcement laboratories, for the anonymous analysis of offender reference specimens or samples and any arrestee reference specimens or samples collected pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 296 for forensic identification testing as provided in subdivision (a) of this section and in accordance with the quality assurance requirements established by CODIS and ASCLD/LAB for any specimens or samples that are not fully analyzed and uploaded into the CODIS database within six months of the receipt of the reference specimens or samples by the Department of Justice DNA Laboratory.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026