093_HB3358

 
                                     LRB093 09606 RLC 09844 b

 1        AN ACT in relation to criminal law.

 2        Be it enacted by the People of  the  State  of  Illinois,
 3    represented in the General Assembly:

 4        Section  1.  Short  title.  This  Act may be cited as the
 5    Illinois Independent Forensic Laboratory Act.

 6        Section 2. Illinois Independent Forensic Laboratory.
 7        (a)  There is created the Illinois  Independent  Forensic
 8    Laboratory.  The  Laboratory  shall be governed by a board of
 9    directors consisting of 5 members appointed by the  Governor.
10    Each  member  of  the board of directors shall serve a 4-year
11    term, except that 3 of the initial members appointed  to  the
12    board of directors after the effective date of this Act shall
13    each  serve  a  2-year  term.  The  members  of  the board of
14    directors shall by a vote of 3 members chose a chairperson to
15    serve a 2-year term. The presence of 3 members of  the  board
16    of directors shall constitute a quorum to do business.
17        (b)  Members  of  the  board  of  directors  shall  serve
18    without  compensation,  but shall be reimbursed for necessary
19    expenses  incurred  in  the  performance  of  their   duties.
20    Vacancies  on  the  board of directors shall be filled by the
21    Governor. A member of the board  of  directors  appointed  to
22    fill  a  vacancy  shall  serve  for the unexpired term of the
23    member whom he or she is succeeding.
24        (c)  The members of the board of  directors  shall  by  a
25    majority  vote  hire an Executive Director who shall serve at
26    the  pleasure  of  the  board  of  directors.  The  Executive
27    Director shall manage the operations of the Laboratory  under
28    the  direction  of  the  board  of  directors.  The Executive
29    Director shall hire such personnel as are necessary to  carry
30    out the operations of the Laboratory with the approval of the
31    board of directors.
 
                            -2-      LRB093 09606 RLC 09844 b
 1        (d)  The  Illinois  Independent Forensic Laboratory shall
 2    conduct  forensic  testing  for  Illinois   law   enforcement
 3    agencies.  Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, all
 4    functions related to forensic testing by  the  Department  of
 5    State  Police  shall  instead  be  performed  by the Illinois
 6    Independent Forensic Laboratory, and the board  of  directors
 7    and  the  Department  of  State  Police  shall  enter  into a
 8    cooperative agreement to transfer appropriate assets.