Texas Administrative Code › Title 37 - PUBLIC SAFETY AND CORRECTIONS › Part 15 - TEXAS FORENSIC SCIENCE COMMISSION › Chapter 651 - DNA, CODIS, FORENSIC ANALYSIS, AND CRIME LABORATORIES › Subchapter C - FORENSIC ANALYST LICENSING PROGRAM › Section 651.203 - Forensic Subject to Commission Licensing; Categories of Licensure

Current through Reg. 49, No. 28; July 12, 2024
(a) Forensic analysis/recognized
				  accreditation. This section describes the forensic disciplines for which
				  accreditation by an accrediting body recognized by the Commission is required
				  by Article
				  38.01,
				  Code of Criminal Procedure and for which licensing is therefore also
				  required.
(b) By discipline. An
				  individual may apply to the Commission for a Forensic Analyst License for one
				  or more of the disciplines set forth in this section. The specific requirements
				  for obtaining a license in any of the following disciplines may differ
				  depending upon the categories of analysis within the discipline for which the
				  individual is qualified to perform independent casework as set forth in §
										651.207 of this subchapter
				  (relating to Forensic Analyst Licensing Requirements Including License Term,
				  Fee and Procedure for Denial of Application and Reconsideration). An
				  individual's license shall designate the category or categories of licensure
				  for which the individual has been approved for independent casework and for
				  which the individual has met the requirements set forth in §
										651.207 of this subchapter as
				  follows:
(1) Seized Drugs. Categories of
				  analysis may include one or more of the following: qualitative determination,
				  quantitative measurement, weight measurement, and volume measurement;
				  Categories of Licensure: Seized Drugs Analyst; Seized Drugs
				  Technician;
(2) Toxicology.
				  Categories of analysis may include one or more of the following: qualitative
				  determination and quantitative measurement; Categories of Licensure: Toxicology
				  Analyst Alcohol only (Non-interpretive); Toxicology Analyst (General,
				  Non-interpretive); Toxicologist (Interpretive); Toxicology
				  Technician;
(3) Forensic Biology.
				  Categories of analysis may include one or more of the following: DNA-STR,
				  DNA-YSTR, DNA-Mitochondrial, DNA-massively parallel sequencing, body fluid
				  identification, relationship testing, microbiology, individual characteristic
				  database, and nucleic acids other than human DNA; Categories of Licensure: DNA
				  Analyst; Forensic Biology Screening Analyst; Analyst of Nucleic Acids other
				  than Human DNA; Forensic Biology Technician;
(4) Firearms/Toolmarks. Categories of
				  analysis may include one or more of the following: physical comparison,
				  determination of functionality, length measurement, trigger pull force
				  measurement, qualitative chemical determination, distance determination,
				  ejection pattern determination, product (make/model) determination; Categories
				  of Licensure: Firearms/Toolmarks Analyst; Firearms/Toolmarks
				  Technician;
(5) Materials (Trace).
				  Categories of analysis may include one or more of the following: physical
				  determination, chemical determination, chemical comparison, product
				  (make/model) determination, gunshot residue analysis, footwear and tire tread
				  analysis, and fire debris and explosives analysis (qualitative determination);
				  Categories of Licensure: Materials (Trace) Analyst; Materials (Trace)
				  Technician.