SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The California Supreme Court says juveniles whose felonies are reduced to misdemeanors under a voter-approved measure are not entitled to have their DNA removed from a state database.
The court ruled unanimously on Thursday that Proposition 47 lowered the number of people who must submit DNA samples in the future. But the justices said it did not expand the group of people who may seek removal of already submitted samples.
The 2014 proposition reduced some crimes from felonies to misdemeanors. At issue in the court’s ruling was also a separate measure that requires DNA samples from convicted felons.
The justices said that measure, Proposition 69, limited the ability to expunge a DNA sample.
Anne Mania, an attorney for one of the juveniles before the court, did not immediately have comment.
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