Article 7. Construction And Severability of California Penal Code >> Title 9. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 6. >> Article 7.

Nothing in this chapter shall limit or abrogate any existing authority of law enforcement officers to take, maintain, store, and utilize DNA or forensic identification markers, blood specimens, buccal swab samples, saliva samples, or thumb or palm print impressions for identification purposes.

(a) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to restrict the authority of local law enforcement to maintain their own DNA-related databases or data banks, or to restrict the Department of Justice with respect to data banks and databases created by other statutory authority, including, but not limited to, databases related to fingerprints, firearms and other weapons, child abuse, domestic violence deaths, child deaths, driving offenses, missing persons, violent crime information as described in Title 12 (commencing with Section 14200) of Part 4, and criminal justice statistics permitted by Section 13305.
  (b) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to limit the authority of local or county coroners or their agents, in the course of their scientific investigation, to utilize genetic and DNA technology to inquire into and determine the circumstances, manner, and cause of death, or to employ or use outside laboratories, hospitals, or research institutions that utilize genetic and DNA technology.

Any requirement to provide saliva samples pursuant to this chapter shall be construed as a requirement to provide buccal swab samples as of the effective date of the act that added this section. However, the Department of Justice may retain and use previously collected saliva and other biological samples as part of its database and databank program and for quality control purposes in conformity with the provisions of this chapter.

The duties and requirements of the Department of Corrections and the Department of the Youth Authority pursuant to this chapter shall commence on July 1, 1999.

The provisions of this chapter are severable. If any provision of this chapter or its application is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application.