Relating to: postloss assignment of rights or benefits under property insurance policies to residential contractors and providing a penalty. (FE)

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Calvin Callahan and 2 co-sponsors

Provides $500,000 to fund genetic marker analyses and, if needed after CODIS fails, forensic genetic genealogy to identify unidentified deceased persons in Nevada.

Representative Emerson added as a coauthor

Purpose

AB 473 appropriates one-time funding to support forensic DNA testing aimed at identifying unidentified deceased persons. It directs $500,000 from the State General Fund to the Records, Communications and Compliance Division of the Nevada Department of Public Safety to fund genetic marker analyses and, where necessary, forensic genetic genealogy testing.

Key provisions

Appropriation: $500,000 from the State General Fund to the Records, Communications and Compliance Division, Department of Public Safety.

Use of funds:

May be granted to a forensic laboratory designated by a county board of commissioners.
May be used to conduct genetic marker analyses on biological specimens from unidentified deceased persons.
If a genetic marker analysis yields no match in the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), funds may be used for forensic genetic genealogy DNA testing.

Time limits and reversion:

Granting entities must not commit funds after June 30, 2027.
Any portion of the appropriation remaining unspent must be reverted to the State General Fund on or before September 17, 2027.

Effective date: upon passage and approval.

Definitions included in the bill (selected)

Biological specimen: a sample (tissue, fluid, etc.) suitable for genetic marker analysis.

CODIS: the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System.

Forensic genetic genealogy DNA testing: testing that produces a forensic genealogy profile with a minimum of 100,000 genetic markers, compatible with multiple genealogical databases consented for law enforcement use, and includes associated genealogical research.

Genetic marker analysis: the analytical process that produces a DNA profile.

Who is affected

Nevada Department of Public Safety (Records, Communications and Compliance Division) — recipient/administrator of the appropriation.

County forensic laboratories designated by county boards of commissioners — potential grant recipients and implementers of testing.

Families and investigators working to identify unidentified deceased persons — likely beneficiaries of expanded testing capacity.

CODIS and forensic/genetic genealogy service processes — may see increased case submissions when CODIS yields no match.

Fiscal and procedural notes

Fiscal effect: One-time $500,000 appropriation not included in the Executive Budget (per committee materials).

The measure includes explicit deadlines for commitment and reversion of funds to the State General Fund.

Legislative status (selected actions): Introduced Feb 6, 2025; referred to committees; reported “Do pass” from committee May 14, 2025; read second time May 15, 2025; as of June 3, 2025 — no further action taken.

Potential impacts / considerations

Enables counties with designated forensic labs to obtain state support for difficult identifications.

Allows use of forensic genetic genealogy only after CODIS fails, limiting genealogy deployment to cases without conventional matches.

Funding is time-limited and modest in scale; scope of cases served will depend on grant distribution and laboratory capacity.

Bill