AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- STATE CRIME LABORATORY COMMISSION (Increases the membership of the state crime laboratory commission from five (5) to nine (9). The overseer and co-executive secretaries of the commission have been changed to the deans of URI's colleges of pharmacy and engineering.)

H7282

2026 -- H 7282
========
LC004313
========

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
____________
A N A C T
RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- STATE CRIME LABORATORY
COMMISSION

Introduced By:
Representatives Place, Cruz, Potter, J. Lombardi, Newberry, Tanzi,
Fascia, Felix, J. Brien, and Ajello

Date Introduced:
January 23, 2026

Referred To:
House Judiciary
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
1
SECTION 1. Sections 12-1.1-4 and 12-1.1-6 of the General Laws in Chapter 12-1.1 entitled
2
"State Crime Laboratory Commission" are hereby amended to read as follows:
3

12-1.1-4. Membership.
4
(a) The commission shall consist of
five (5)

nine (9)
members: the attorney general; the
5
superintendent of state police;
and

the chief justice of the Rhode Island supreme court; the president
6
of the Rhode Island Bar Association; the public defender; the president of the Rhode Island
7
Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers;
a representative of the Rhode Island Police Chiefs
8
Association appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate; and two (2) public
9
members appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate. Appointed public
10
members shall serve two (2) year terms and shall be eligible to succeed themselves.
11
(b) Members shall serve until their successors are appointed and qualified. Each member
12
of the board may designate a subordinate within his or her department or agency to represent him
13
or her at all meetings of the board. Three (3) members of the board shall constitute a quorum and
14
the vote of a majority of those present and voting shall be required for action.
15
(c) Members of the commission shall be removable by the governor pursuant to the
16
provisions of § 36-1-7 of the general laws and for cause only, and removal solely for partisan or
17
personal reasons unrelated to capacity or fitness for the office shall be unlawful.
18

12-1.1-6.
Executive secretary
Co-executive secretaries.

1
The
dean

deans
of the
College

Colleges
of Pharmacy
and Engineering
at the University of
2
Rhode Island shall serve as the
executive secretary

co-executive secretaries
of the commission
. The
3
executive secretary

and
shall oversee the administration of the state crime laboratory, including all
4
budgetary and personnel matters, and shall provide timely reports to the commission regarding all
5
matters pertaining to the state crime laboratory.
6
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
========
LC004313
========

LC004313 - Page 2 of 3
EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- STATE CRIME LABORATORY
COMMISSION
***
1
This act would increase the membership of the state crime laboratory commission from
2
five (5) to nine (9). It adds the chief justice of the Rhode Island supreme court, the presidents of
3
the state bar association and the Rhode Island criminal defense association and the public defender.
4
The act would also add the dean of the college of engineering as a co-executive secretary of the
5
commission.
6
This act would take effect upon passage.
========
LC004313
========

LC004313 - Page 3 of 3