Amendment 2025-0397s to SB145 (2025)

(Second New Title) establishing an evidence shipping pilot program.


Revision: Feb. 12, 2025, 3:15 p.m.

Senate Judiciary

February 12, 2025

2025-0397s

11/09

 

 

Amendment to SB 145-FN

 

Amend the title of the bill by replacing it with the following:

 

AN ACT establishing an evidence shipping pilot program and providing an appropriation therefor.

 

Amend the bill by replacing sections 2 and 3 with the following:

 

2  New Subdivision; Evidence Shipping Pilot Program.  Amend RSA 21-P by inserting after section 70 the following new subdivision:

Evidence Shipping Pilot Program

21-P:71  Evidence Shipping Pilot Program.

I.  The department of safety may develop an evidence shipping pilot program to alleviate long waiting periods for evidence to be safely delivered to the state forensic laboratory, where it can be properly stored pending analysis.  A special emphasis shall be placed on supporting law enforcement in rural communities where resources are limited. 

II.  In this pilot program, all evidence collected by medical personnel in a sexual assault case occurring in the state of New Hampshire shall be transferred to the state forensic laboratory within 7 business days of collection.  If a law enforcement agency cannot deliver the evidence in person to the state forensic laboratory, which shall be the preferred method of delivery, the agency may use a common carrier that provides readily accessible package tracking to send the evidence to the state forensic laboratory for delivery within 7 business days of collection.  Law enforcement must have a good faith basis to believe that the common carrier will accomplish delivery in 7 days prior to choosing the common carrier.  When utilizing delivery by a common carrier, law enforcement shall deliver the packaged evidence in-hand to an agent of the carrier, and not by drop box or other drop off, and keep track of the package's routing and delivery by tracking number assigned by the carrier.  Costs for use of the common carrier may be eligible for reimbursement through the pilot program if law enforcement can demonstrate that all good faith efforts were made in an effort to deliver the packaged evidence within the 7 day delivery requirement of this section.

III.  The department of safety shall adopt rules under RSA 541-A for the design, administration, and reporting requirements of the program.

3  Appropriation.  The department of safety shall determine the amount needed to fund the pilot program, and that amount is hereby appropriated to the department of safety for the biennium ending June 30, 2027, for the purpose of funding the pilot program established in section 2.  The governor is authorized to draw a warrant for any general fund sum out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.

2025-0397s

AMENDED ANALYSIS

 

This bill enables the department of safety to develop an evidence shipping pilot program and provides an appropriation therefor.