(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.
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