DES MOINES, IOWA (AP) -- A proposal being considered by Iowa lawmakers calls for DNA to be collected from lawbreakers convicted of an aggravated misdemeanor.

Currently, DNA is only collected from convicted felons and registered sex offenders. Law enforcement officials say that expanding collection of DNA could help solve decades-old crimes.

Adding aggravated misdemeanors to the state's database would add about 13,900 DNA samples per year. Iowa's existing database has 50,000 samples from known convicts and nearly 2,400 more samples collected from crime scenes.

The legislation was proposed by the Iowa attorney general's office. Sen. Ken Kreiman, D-Bloomfield, says the measure would put more people behind bars and make Iowa safer.

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