Bill > S1302

This bill establishes a forensic services drug laboratory oversight board within the executive office of public safety and security to oversee all state facilities that provide forensic services for criminal investigations. The board will be comprised of designees from key state officials, including the Secretary of Public Safety and Security, the Governor, the Attorney General, the Inspector General, and the Colonel of State Police. The board will ensure that all facilities are accredited by the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board and comply with International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards. The undersecretary of public safety for forensic sciences will report to the board quarterly on various aspects of facility operations, such as service volume, employee performance, testing turnaround times, compliance with accreditation, and employee records, with any suspected criminal wrongdoing being referred to the Attorney General. The board will also be responsible for creating rules and regulations, including requiring facilities to maintain accreditation, holding at least one public hearing annually, and establishing a system for receiving anonymous complaints about employee or facility misconduct.