This article appeared in the April 5, 2013 edition of the Austin Chronicle, written by Jordan Smith, and talks about SB 1439, sponsored by Senator Royce West, relating to Evidence Tech Certifications and consolidating evidence statutes. Here is the link to the full story:
http://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2013-04-05/corralling-the-evidence/ www.austinchronicle.com
This article appeared in the Austin Chronicle on February 15, 2013, reported by Jordan Smith. It discusses issues evidence rooms are experiencing and have experienced for years relating to DNA evidence, i.e. lack of storage, lack of standardized procedures, accountability.
http://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2013-02-15/wheres-your-evidence/
Chapter 38.43 of the Tx Criminal Code of Procedure is under revision. Specifically, we (state committee) are more clearly defining “biological evidence”, revising statute of limitations for biological evidence, and providing “best practices” for collection, storage and disposition. And for counties of less than 100,000, biological evidence associated with unsolved felony cases (not pending trial) can be stored at Department of Public Safety, as well as post-conviction biological evidence. I will post the new revisions once they are approved (expected date of January 2013).