Missouri Laws 650.060 – Accreditation of crime laboratory required, when — exceptions — rulemaking ..
1. On or after December 31, 2012, any crime laboratory providing reports or testimony to a state court pertaining to a result of the forensic analysis of evidence shall be accredited or provisionally accredited by a laboratory accrediting organization approved by the department of public safety.
2. This section shall not apply to testimony, results, reports, or evidence of forensic analysis produced by a crime laboratory prior to December 31, 2012. Such testimony, results, reports, or evidence of forensic analysis need not be performed by an accredited or provisionally accredited crime laboratory and may be produced or presented on behalf of the prosecution in a state court after December 31, 2012, as long as the forensic analysis was produced prior to such date.
Terms Used In Missouri Laws 650.060
- Crime laboratory: a laboratory operated or supported financially by the state or any unit of city, county, or other local Missouri government that employs at least one scientist who examines physical evidence in criminal matters and provides expert or opinion testimony with respect to such physical evidence in a state court of law. See Missouri Laws 650.100
- Department: the Missouri department of public safety. See Missouri Laws 650.100
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- State: when applied to any of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" includes such district and territories. See Missouri Laws 1.020
- Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
3. Crime laboratories may utilize funding provided through section 595.045 to defray costs associated with applying for and maintaining accreditation.
4. The department of public safety shall promulgate rules identifying approved accrediting bodies and shall establish procedures for the monitoring of crime laboratory compliance with the approved accrediting body. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010, that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028. This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2008, shall be invalid and void.