National Forensic Sciences Improvement Act of 1999

Summary: National Forensic Sciences Improvement Act of 1999 - Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (the Act) to: (1) include among permissible uses of drug control and system improvement (Byrne) grants improving the quality, timeliness, and credibility of forensic science services for criminal justice purposes; and (2) require State certification that it has established a forensic science laboratory or laboratory system or a medical examiner's office that meets specified requirements, with respect to any such grant for such purpose. 
Amends the Act to require a State to submit to the Attorney General: (1) a certification that the State has developed a consolidated State plan that meets specified requirements 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, estimated costs of that facility, and a certification that the grant will not be used to fund more than 40 percent of such facility's total costs. 
Prohibits the use of grant funds for any general law enforcement or non-forensic investigatory function.  Limits facilities and administrative costs. 
Sets forth provisions regarding record-keeping (and access to records and documents) and reporting requirements.  Authorizes appropriations.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Forensic Sciences 
Improvement Act of 1999''.

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. 375(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 of 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 principle 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; and
            ``(2) 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.--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) $215,600,000 for fiscal year 2000;
                    ``(B) $204,600,000 for fiscal year 2001;
                    ``(C) $194,600,000 for fiscal year 2002;
                    ``(D) $87,600,000 for fiscal year 2003; and
                    ``(E) $65,600,000 for fiscal year 2004.''.
            (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.