“The
fallout of the egregious actions of forensic crime lab chemist Annie Dookhan
directly correlates with the lack of oversight of the state’s forensic drug labs.
In January I filed legislation that would instill the necessary oversight,
accountability, and transparency needed to ensure a system that demands
integrity.
The
bill requires:
• Quarterly
reports from the undersecretary of public safety for forensic sciences that
will include, but not be limited to, information regarding:
-The
volume of forensic services at each facility;
-The
volume of forensic services of each employee at such facilities;
-The
costs and length of time from submission for testing or procedures and the
return of results from such facilities;
-Compliance
with accreditation standards of such facilities; and
-Facility
employee records, qualifications, and incident reports.
• A
minimum of one public oversight hearing per year for the board to receive
testimony relative to the operations of state laboratories;
• A
system to receive complaints or tips about potential problems at a state
laboratory via telephone and e-mail;
• Certification
that all state laboratories are accredited in accordance with the other
requirements of the bill; and
• The
timely reporting of suspected or potential criminal wrongdoing to the Attorney
General for investigation and prosecution.
The
price and consequences of this failure of oversight prove that we need an
immediate hearing of this bill and its passage as soon as possible.”
