SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - The Senate Judiciary Committee today advanced a bill requiring the Division of Criminal Investigation to process sexual assault kits in 90 days.
Attorney General Marty Jackley says the turnaround now is sixty days or less and cautioned legislators about the rising caseload totaling a 1,026 a year.
Jackley says a backlog two years ago forced DCI to mix those case in with the fresh ones in order to keep up. He's says he'd like to get to a thirty day turnaround eventually. But he says if the number rises well above the 1,000 mark he may have to return to appropriators for additional funds
Jackley says the state has relied heavily on dwindling federal grants for D-N-A testing, losing $100,000 over the last two years alone.