I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2340
To improve the quality, timeliness, and credibility of forensic science services
for criminal justice purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JUNE 24, 1999
Mr. BISHOP (for himself and Mr. CHAMBLISS) introduced the following bill;
which was 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 Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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 SERV-
ICES 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 crimi-
nal matters; and
‘‘(II) who provide testimony with
respect to such physical evidence to
the criminal justice system;
‘‘(ii) employs generally accepted prac-
tices and procedures, as established by ap-
propriate accrediting organizations; and
‘‘(iii) is accredited by the Laboratory
Accreditation Board of the American Soci-
ety of Crime Laboratory Directors or the
National Association of Medical Exam-
iners, or will use a portion of the grant
amount to prepare and apply for such ac-
creditation 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 Exam-
iners) that—
‘‘(i) employs generally accepted prac-
tices and procedures, as established by ap-
propriate accrediting organizations; and
‘‘(ii) is accredited by the Laboratory
Accreditation Board of the American Soci-
ety of Crime Laboratory Directors or the
National Association of Medical Exam-
iners, or will use a portion of the grant
amount to prepare and apply for such ac-
creditation 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 facil-
ity, 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 Amer-
ican 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 exam-
iner services in the State.
‘‘(b) PERMITTED CATEGORIES OF FUNDING.—Sub-
ject to subsections (c) and (d), a grant awarded under this
part—
‘‘(1) may only be used for program expenses re-
lating to facilities, personnel, computerization, equip-
ment, supplies, accreditation and certification, edu-
cation, and training; and
‘‘(2) may not be used for any general law en-
forcement 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 pro-
mulgate such guidelines, regulations, and procedures as
may be necessary to carry out this part, including guide-
lines, regulations, and procedures relating to the submis-
sion 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 ef-
fective 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 des-
ignee 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 Gen-
eral, 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 man-
ner 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 Rep-
resentatives 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 fol-
lowing:
‘‘(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 Om-
nibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968
(42 U.S.C. 3711 et seq.) is amended by striking the
table of contents.
Æ