A Bill for an Act
Page 1, Line 101Concerning a state-funded response to genetic testing
Page 1, Line 102backlogs.
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://leg.colorado.gov/.)
Joint Budget Committee. The bill requires the Colorado bureau of investigation (CBI) to spend specifically appropriated money on backlogged DNA evidence and sexual assault kit tests. Additionally, the bill allows the CBI to contract with external labs to perform the testing.
The bill requires CBI to create a dashboard on the department of public safety's website to update the public on the backlog. CBI shall provide the general assembly with updates on the backlog every 30 days from March 10, 2025, through June 30, 2026.
Page 2, Line 1Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
Page 2, Line 2SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 24-33.5-432 as follows:
Page 2, Line 324-33.5-432. Appropriation - DNA retesting - sexual assault
Page 2, Line 4kit backlog - reporting requirements - definition. (1) The three
Page 2, Line 5million dollar appropriation to the department of public safety,
Page 2, Line 6in turn appropriated to the bureau with the line item "DNA
Page 2, Line 7testing and reimbursement" in House Bill 24-1430, passed on
Page 2, Line 8April 29, 2024, remains available to the bureau until June 30, 2026.
Page 2, Line 9(2) The bureau may enter into contracts with external
Page 2, Line 10testing laboratories or agencies that conform to the current
Page 2, Line 11version of ISO/IEC 17025 requirements, the appropriate quality
Page 2, Line 12assurance standards required by the federal bureau of
Page 2, Line 13investigation, and forensic-specific requirements, and are
Page 2, Line 14accredited by an organization that is signatory to the
Page 2, Line 15International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation Mutual
Page 2, Line 16Recognition Arrangements for Testing Laboratories, to perform
Page 2, Line 17DNA retesting on criminal cases involved in the bureau laboratory misconduct that was discovered in 2023.
Page 2, Line 18(3) The bureau may enter into contracts with external
Page 2, Line 19testing laboratories or agencies that conform to the current
Page 2, Line 20version of ISO/IEC 17025 requirements, the appropriate quality
Page 2, Line 21assurance standards required by the federal bureau of
Page 2, Line 22investigation, and forensic-specific requirements, and are
Page 3, Line 1accredited by an organization that is signatory to the
Page 3, Line 2International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation Mutual
Page 3, Line 3Recognition Arrangements for Testing Laboratories, to perform
Page 3, Line 4testing on evidence in the bureau's forensic medical evidence
Page 3, Line 5backlog, including, but not limited to, testing of sexual assault kits.
Page 3, Line 6(4) The department of public safety shall:
Page 3, Line 7(a) Provide a progress report to the joint budget
Page 3, Line 8committee by April 15, 2025, detailing steps the bureau has taken
Page 3, Line 9to resolve the testing backlog issue for forensic medical evidence and sexual assault kits;
Page 3, Line 10(b) Utilize the appropriation described in subsection (1) of
Page 3, Line 11this section to prioritize and accelerate testing of the backlog of sexual assault kits;
Page 3, Line 12(c) Design and implement, within ninety days after the
Page 3, Line 13effective date of this section, a public-facing dashboard on the
Page 3, Line 14department of public safety's website that provides reports on
Page 3, Line 15the forensic medical evidence and sexual assault kit backlogs,
Page 3, Line 16including the total caseload numbers subject to the backlog,
Page 3, Line 17total fiscal year caseload numbers subject to the backlog, the
Page 3, Line 18number of forensic medical evidence tests and sexual assault
Page 3, Line 19kit tests completed in the previous thirty days, the number of
Page 3, Line 20new cases received within the previous thirty days, and the
Page 3, Line 21current average turnaround times to conduct a forensic
Page 3, Line 22medical evidence test or a sexual assault kit test. The
Page 3, Line 23department shall update the dashboard at least every thirty
Page 3, Line 24days.
Page 4, Line 1(d) Provide email updates every thirty days beginning
Page 4, Line 2March 10, 2025, through June 30, 2026, to the general assembly
Page 4, Line 3regarding the forensic medical evidence and sexual assault kit backlogs, which include:
Page 4, Line 4(I) The total number of cases with pending forensic medical evidence tests;
Page 4, Line 5(II) The total number of cases with pending sexual assault kit tests;
Page 4, Line 6(III) The current average turnaround time for a forensic medical test;
Page 4, Line 7(IV) The current average turnaround time for a sexual assault kit test;
Page 4, Line 8(V) The number of tests the bureau's internal lab has completed in the previous thirty days;
Page 4, Line 9(VI) The number of tests external contracted labs have completed in the previous thirty days;
Page 4, Line 10(VII) The anticipated timeline for the bureau to achieve an
Page 4, Line 11average ninety-day turnaround time for sexual assault kit tests;
Page 4, Line 12(VIII) Updates on the bureau's lab analyst staffing levels; and
Page 4, Line 13(IX) Information or updates on difficulties contracting
Page 4, Line 14with external labs that may affect the bureau's anticipated
Page 4, Line 15testing capacity, volume, turnaround expectations, or other
Page 4, Line 16information explaining why the results vary from the projected
Page 4, Line 17caseload timeline reflected in the February 10, 2025, bureau
Page 4, Line 18whitepaper document provided to the general assembly.
Page 5, Line 1(5) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise
Page 5, Line 2requires, "forensic medical evidence" includes, but is not limited to, DNA.
Page 5, Line 3SECTION 2. Safety clause. The general assembly finds,
Page 5, Line 4determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate
Page 5, Line 5preservation of the public peace, health, or safety or for appropriations for
Page 5, Line 6the support and maintenance of the departments of the state and state institutions.