Home > 106th Congressional Bills > S. 3045 (rfh) To improve the quality, timeliness, and credibility of forensic science services for criminal justice purposes, and for other purposes. [Referred in House] ...S. 3045 (rfh) To improve the quality, timeliness, and credibility of forensic science services for criminal justice purposes, and for other purposes. [Referred in House] ...
106th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3045
To improve the quality, timeliness, and credibility of forensic science
services for criminal justice purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 14, 2000
Mr. Sessions (for himself, Mr. Cleland, Mr. Thurmond, Mr. Miller, Mr.
Dodd, Mr. Frist, Mr. Hatch, Mr. Lott, Mr. L. Chafee, Mr. Mack, Mr.
Helms, Mr. Specter, Mr. Santorum, Mr. Nickles, Mr. Stevens, Mr. Durbin,
Mr. Cochran, Mr. Hutchinson, Mr. Wellstone, Mr. Jeffords, Mr. Abraham,
Mr. Thomas, Mr. Shelby, Mr. Kyl, and Mr. Ashcroft) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To improve the quality, timeliness, and credibility of forensic science
services for criminal justice purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Paul Coverdell National Forensic
Sciences Improvement Act of 2000''.
SEC. 2. IMPROVING THE QUALITY, TIMELINESS, AND CREDIBILITY OF FORENSIC
SCIENCE SERVICES FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE PURPOSES.
(a) Description of Drug Control and System Improvement Grant
Program.--Section 501(b) of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and
Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3751(b)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (25), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) in paragraph (26), by striking the period at the end
and inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(27) improving the quality, timeliness, and credibility of
forensic science services for criminal justice purposes.''.
(b) State Applications.--Section 503(a) of title I of the Omnibus
Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3753(a)) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``(13) If any part of the amount received from a grant under this
part is to be used to improve the quality, timeliness, and credibility
of forensic science services for criminal justice purposes, a
certification that, as of the date of enactment of this paragraph, the
State has an established--
``(A) forensic science laboratory or forensic science
laboratory system, that--
``(i) employs 1 or more full-time scientists--
``(I) whose principal duties are the
examination of physical evidence for law
enforcement agencies in criminal matters; and
``(II) who provide testimony with respect
to such physical evidence to the criminal
justice system;
``(ii) employs generally accepted practices and
procedures, as established by appropriate accrediting
organizations; and
``(iii) is accredited by the Laboratory
Accreditation Board of the American Society of Crime
Laboratory Directors or the National Association of
Medical Examiners, or will use a portion of the grant
amount to prepare and apply for such accreditation by
not later than 2 years after the date on which a grant
is initially awarded under this paragraph; or
``(B) medical examiner's office (as defined by the National
Association of Medical Examiners) that--
``(i) employs generally accepted practices and
procedures, as established by appropriate accrediting
organizations; and
``(ii) is accredited by the Laboratory
Accreditation Board of the American Society of Crime
Laboratory Directors or the National Association of
Medical Examiners, or will use a portion of the grant
amount to prepare and apply for such accreditation by
not later than 2 years after the date on which a grant
is initially awarded under this paragraph.''.
(c) Forensic Sciences Improvement Grants.--
(1) In general.--Title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and
Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3711 et seq.) is amended--
(A) by redesignating part Z as part AA and
redesignating section 2601 as section 2701; and
(B) by inserting after part Y the following:
``PART Z--FORENSIC SCIENCES IMPROVEMENT GRANTS
``SEC. 2601. GRANT AUTHORIZATION.
``The Attorney General shall award grants to States in accordance
with this part.
``SEC. 2602. APPLICATIONS.
``To request a grant under this part, a State shall submit to the
Attorney General--
``(1) a certification that the State has developed a
consolidated State plan under a program described in section
2604(a), and a specific description of the manner in which the
grant will be used to carry out that plan;
``(2) a certification that any forensic science laboratory
system, medical examiner's office, or coroner's office in the
State that will receive any portion of the grant amount uses
generally accepted laboratory practices and procedures,
established by accrediting organizations; and
``(3) a specific description of any new facility to be
constructed as part of the program described in paragraph (1),
and the estimated costs of that facility, and a certification
that grant will not be used to fund more than 40 percent of the
total costs of that facility.
``SEC. 2603. ALLOCATION.
``(a) In General.--Of the amount made available to carry out this
part in each fiscal year, each State that meets the requirements of
section 2602 shall receive an amount that bears the same ratio to the
total amount made available to carry out this part for that fiscal
year as the population of the State bears to the population of all
States.
``(b) State Defined.--In this section, the term `State' means each
of the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, except that--
``(1) for purposes of the allocation under this section,
American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands shall be considered as 1 State; and
``(2) for purposes of paragraph (1), 67 percent of the
amount allocated shall be allocated to American Samoa, and 33
percent shall be allocated to the Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands.
``SEC. 2604. USE OF GRANTS.
``(a) In General.--A State that receives a grant under this part
shall use the grant to carry out all or a substantial part of a program
intended to improve the quality and timeliness of forensic science or
medical examiner services in the State.
``(b) Permitted Categories of Funding.--Subject to subsections (c)
and (d), a grant awarded under this part--
``(1) may only be used for program expenses relating to
facilities, personnel, computerization, equipment, supplies,
accreditation and certification, education, and training; and
``(2) may not be used for any general law enforcement or
nonforensic investigatory function.
``(c) Facilities Costs.--A grant awarded under this part may not be
used to fund more than 40 percent of the total costs of any new
facility constructed as part of a program described in subsection (a).
``(d) Administrative Costs.--Not more than 10 percent of the total
amount of a grant awarded under this part may be used for
administrative expenses.
``SEC. 2605. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.
``(a) Regulations.--The Attorney General may promulgate such
guidelines, regulations, and procedures as may be necessary to carry
out this part, including guidelines, regulations, and procedures
relating to the submission and review of applications for grants under
section 2602.
``(b) Expenditure Records.--
``(1) Records.--Each State that receives a grant under this
part shall maintain such records as the Attorney General may
require to facilitate an effective audit relating to the
receipt of the grant, or the use of the grant amount.
``(2) Access.--The Attorney General and the Comptroller
General of the United States, or a designee thereof, shall have
access, for the purpose of audit and examination, to any book,
document, or record of a State that receives a grant under this
part, if, in the determination of the Attorney General,
Comptroller General, or designee thereof, the book, document,
or record is related to the receipt of the grant, or the use of
the grant amount.
``SEC. 2606. REPORTS.
``(a) Reports to Attorney General.--For each fiscal year for which
a grant is awarded under this part, each State that receives such a
grant shall submit to the Attorney General a report, at such time and
in such manner as the Attorney General may reasonably require, which
report shall include--
``(1) a summary and assessment of the program carried out
with the grant;
``(2) the average number of days between submission of a
sample to a forensic science laboratory or forensic science
laboratory system in that State and the delivery of test
results to the requesting office or agency; and
``(3) such other information as the Attorney General may
require.
``(b) Reports to Congress.--Not later than 90 days after the last
day of each fiscal year for which 1 or more grants are awarded under
this part, the Attorney General shall submit to the Speaker of the
House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate, a
report, which shall include--
``(1) the aggregate amount of grants awarded under this
part for that fiscal year; and
``(2) a summary of the information provided under
subsection (a).''.
(2) Authorization of appropriations.--
(A) In general.--Section 1001(a) of title I of the
Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42
U.S.C. 3753(a)) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``(24) There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out
part Z, to remain available until expended--
``(A) $55,000,000 for fiscal year 2001;
``(B) $130,600,000 for fiscal year 2002;
``(C) $204,600,000 for fiscal year 2003;
``(D) $194,600,000 for fiscal year 2004;
``(E) $87,600,000 for fiscal year 2005; and
``(F) $65,600,000 for fiscal year 2006.''.
(B) Backlog elimination.--There is authorized to be
appropriated $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2001 for the
elimination of DNA convicted offender database sample
backlogs and for other related purposes, as provided in
the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the
Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act,
2001.
(3) Table of contents.--Title I of the Omnibus Crime
Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3711 et seq.)
is amended by striking the table of contents.
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