88R4742 AJZ-D
 
  By: Hinojosa S.B. No. 991
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the establishment of a crime laboratory portal by the
  Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 411, Government Code, is amended by
  adding Subchapter G-1 to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER G-1. CRIME LABORATORY PORTAL
         Sec. 411.161.  DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter, "crime
  laboratory," "criminal action," and "forensic analysis" have the
  meanings assigned by Article 38.35, Code of Criminal Procedure.
         Sec. 411.162.  CRIME LABORATORY PORTAL. The department by
  rule shall establish and maintain a central computerized portal
  that facilitates the process for requesting crime laboratory
  records and for transferring those records among crime
  laboratories, attorneys representing the state, and parties
  authorized to access the records as a part of discovery under
  Article 39.14, Code of Criminal Procedure. The portal may not be
  used as a central repository for crime laboratory records.
         Sec. 411.163.  MANDATORY CRIME LABORATORY PARTICIPATION;
  DISCIPLINARY ACTION. (a) A crime laboratory that performs a
  forensic analysis for use in a criminal action shall participate,
  in accordance with department rule, in the transfer of crime
  laboratory records using the crime laboratory portal established
  under Section 411.162.
         (b)  A crime laboratory that violates Subsection (a) is
  subject to disciplinary action by the Texas Forensic Science
  Commission in the same manner as if the laboratory had otherwise
  violated accreditation standards under Article 38.01, Code of
  Criminal Procedure.
         Sec. 411.164.  DEFENSE COUNSEL ACCESS TO CRIME LABORATORY
  PORTAL. The attorney representing the state in a criminal action
  shall ensure that the defendant or the defendant's attorney, as
  appropriate, is able to access and use the crime laboratory portal
  under Section 411.162 to request any crime laboratory records that
  are subject to discovery under Article 39.14, Code of Criminal
  Procedure.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.