Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Rhode Island General Assembly, fetched 2026-07-29. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
S2287 2026 -- S 2287 ======== LC004020 ======== 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: Senators Bell, Murray, Thompson, Gu, Ujifusa, Quezada, Valverde, Acosta, Vargas, and DiMario Date Introduced: January 23, 2026 Referred To: Senate 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 a representative of the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association 6 appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate ; and two (2) public members 7 appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate : three (3) members with 8 expertise in law enforcement or criminal prosecution; three (3) members with expertise in criminal 9 defense; and three (3) members with expertise in scientific research . Appointed public members 10 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) Five (5) members of the board shall constitute a 14 quorum , and 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. 1 The dean of the College of Pharmacy chair of the Department of Physics at the University 2 of Rhode Island shall serve as the executive secretary of the commission. The executive secretary 3 shall oversee the administration of the state crime laboratory, including all budgetary and personnel 4 matters, and shall provide timely reports to the commission regarding all matters pertaining to the 5 state crime laboratory. 6 SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. ======== LC004020 ======== LC004020 - 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 number of members of the state crime laboratory commission 2 from five (5) to nine (9), change the makeup of the commission to include individuals with expertise 3 in law enforcement, expertise in criminal defense, and expertise in scientific research. It would also 4 make the chair of the department of physics at the University of Rhode Island the executive 5 secretary. 6 This act would take effect upon passage. ======== LC004020 ======== LC004020 - Page 3 of 3
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