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<section article="ghg" article_name="Health - General" number="17-2A-02" title_number="17" title_name="Laboratories" subtitle_number="2A" subtitle_name="Forensic Laboratories">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Secretary shall adopt regulations that set standards and requirements for forensic laboratories.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The regulations shall contain the standards and requirements that the Secretary considers necessary to assure the citizens of the State that forensic laboratories provide safe, reliable, and accurate services.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The regulations shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Require the director of a forensic laboratory to establish and administer an ongoing quality assurance program using standards acceptable to the Secretary;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Require the director of a forensic laboratory to retain all case files for at least 10 years;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Establish qualifications for the personnel of forensic laboratories;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>Establish procedures for verifying the background and education of the personnel of forensic laboratories; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>Establish any additional standards that the Secretary considers necessary to assure that forensic laboratories provide accurate and reliable services.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A forensic laboratory that examines or analyzes physical evidence shall demonstrate satisfactory performance in an approved proficiency testing program specifically related to the particular forensic analysis being  performed.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Secretary shall adopt regulations for the forensic proficiency testing program that:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Define satisfactory proficiency testing performance; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Set standards and requirements that a forensic proficiency testing program shall meet.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The Department shall review a forensic laboratory’s proficiency testing program.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>To assure compliance with the standards and requirements under this subtitle, the Secretary shall conduct:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>An inspection of each forensic laboratory for which a license to operate is sought; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>An inspection of each forensic laboratory for which a license has been issued.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>To assure compliance with the standards and requirements under this subtitle, the Secretary may conduct:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>A complaint investigation; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A validation survey of an accredited forensic laboratory.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
