At a public hearing Friday, a state representative didn’t just bring her notes with her. State Rep. LaTonya Johnson brought a pile of obituaries of Milwaukee children killed in shootings.

The Republicans who dominate the state’s Joint Finance Committee plan to keep Gov. Scott Walker’s proposal to collect DNA samples from people who have been arrested on suspicion of felonies. But they could drop the plan to take them from those arrested for certain misdemeanors, the co-chairman of the committee said Thursday.

Gov. Scott Walker wants to spend $6 million on expanding DNA collection efforts to include anyone arrested on a felony charge and anyone convicted of a crime, a move the Republican has argued will help police solve more crimes.

Wisconsin crime victims wouldn't have to testify against their attackers during the early stages of their cases under a Republican bill making its way through the Legislature.