SECTION 651.301. Purpose

(a) Generally. This subchapter contains the Texas Forensic Science Commission (Commission) rules adopted under Article 38.01 §4(a) Code of Criminal Procedure, that govern the Commission's duties to:

(1) to develop and implement a reporting system through which crime laboratories may report professional negligence or professional misconduct;

(2) require a crime laboratory that conducts forensic analyses to report professional negligence or professional misconduct to the Commission; and

(3) investigate, in a timely manner, any allegation of professional negligence or professional misconduct that would substantially affect the integrity of the results of a forensic analysis conducted by a crime laboratory.

(b) The Commission may initiate for educational purposes an investigation of a forensic analysis without receiving a complaint, submitted through the reporting system described in this subsection, that contains an allegation of professional negligence or professional misconduct involving the forensic analysis conducted if the Commission determines by majority vote of a quorum of Commission members that an investigation of the forensic analysis would advance the integrity and reliability of forensic science in Texas.

Source Note: The provisions of this §651.301 adopted to be effective January 30, 2018, 43 TexReg 473