Bill Text: CA AB2425 | 2013-2014 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Laboratories: review committee.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2014-09-25 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 570, Statutes of 2014. [AB2425 Detail]

Download: California-2013-AB2425-Amended.html

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BILL NUMBER: AB 2425	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  AUGUST 5, 2014
	AMENDED IN SENATE  JULY 1, 2014
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 8, 2014

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Quirk

                        FEBRUARY 21, 2014

   An act to amend Sections 100700 and 100703 of the Health and
Safety Code, relating to laboratories.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2425, as amended, Quirk. Laboratories: review committee.
   Existing law requires laboratories engaging in the performance of
forensic alcohol analysis tests by or for law enforcement agencies on
blood, urine, tissue, or breath for the purposes of determining the
concentration of ethyl alcohol in persons involved in traffic
accidents or in traffic violations to comply with various existing
State Department of Public Health regulations regarding the
inspection of laboratories, collection and handling of samples,
methods of analysis, and laboratory records, until the time those
regulations are revised, as specified. Existing law requires the
State Department of Public Health to establish a review committee,
which is required to meet at least once in each 5-year period after
its initial meeting, or within 60 days of receipt of a request by the
department or a member of the review committee, to evaluate and
determine revisions to relevant department regulations. 
Existing law requires the review committee to submit a summary of
those revisions to the California Health and Human Services Agency
and authorizes the agency to disapprove of one or more of those
revisions within 90 days of receiving them.  Existing law
requires the department to adopt regulations to incorporate the
review committee's revisions.
   This bill would exempt laboratories that are accredited in
forensic alcohol analysis by the American Society of Crime Laboratory
Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board  or another
accrediting agency approved by the review committee  from
the existing State Department of Public Health regulations described
above that conflict with more stringent specified requirements that
are established by the accrediting agency, until the date when the
department adopts regulations that incorporate the review committee's
revisions. The bill would instead require the review committee to
meet at least once in each 3-year period after its initial meeting
and would require the review committee, in determining revisions, to
take into consideration the advancement and development of scientific
processes, including the reporting of results with an estimated
uncertainty measurement.  The bill would instead authorize
the California Health and Human Services agency to disapprove of one
or more of the review committee's revisions within 30 days of
receiving them. 
    This bill would make an additional conforming change to existing
law.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 100700 of the Health and Safety Code is amended
to read:
   100700.  (a) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), laboratories
engaged in the performance of forensic alcohol analysis tests by or
for law enforcement agencies on blood, urine, tissue, or breath for
the purposes of determining the concentration of ethyl alcohol in
persons involved in traffic accidents or in traffic violations shall
comply with Group 8 (commencing with Section 1215) of Subchapter 1 of
Chapter 2 of Division 1 of Title 17 of the California Code of
Regulations, as they exist on December 31, 2004, until the date when
those regulations are revised pursuant to Section 100703.
   (2) (A) Laboratories that are accredited in forensic alcohol
analysis by the American Society of Crime Laboratory
Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board  or another
accrediting agency approved by the review committee established
pursuant to Section 100703  are exempt from the requirements
in Group 8 (commencing with Section 1215) of Subchapter 1 of Chapter
2 of Division 1 of Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations,
as they exist on January 1, 2015, that conflict with requirements
established by the accrediting agency, as determined by the review
committee, when the accrediting agency requirements are:
   (i) More stringent recordkeeping requirements.
   (ii) Higher proficiency testing standards.
   (iii) Higher number of site visits and onsite inspections.
   (iv) More comprehensive training programs.
   (v) More current coursework.
   (B) The exemption identified in subparagraph (A) shall remain in
effect until the date when the department adopts regulations that
incorporate the review committee's revisions pursuant to Section
100703.
   (b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), the department shall not
require laboratories to be licensed.
  SEC. 2.  Section 100703 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to
read:
   100703.  (a) On or before July 1, 2005, the department shall
establish a review committee.
   (b) The review committee shall have eight members, including one
person representing each of the following:
   (1) Prosecuting attorneys.
   (2) Law enforcement agencies.
   (3) Defense attorneys.
   (4) Coroners, pathologists, or medical examiners.
   (5) Criminalists.
   (6) Toxicologists.
   (7) Crime laboratory directors.
   (8) The State Department of Public Health.
   (c) The review committee shall meet at least once in each
three-year period after its initial meeting, or within 60 days of
receipt of a request by the department or a member of the review
committee.
   (d) The review committee shall evaluate Group 8 (commencing with
Section 1215) of Subchapter 1 of Chapter 2 of Division 1 of Title 17
of the California Code of Regulations and determine revisions that
will limit those regulations to those that the review committee
determines are reasonably necessary to ensure the competence of the
laboratories and employees to prepare, analyze, and report the
results of the tests and comply with applicable laws. In determining
revisions, the review committee shall also take into consideration
the advancement and development of scientific processes, including
the reporting of results with an estimated uncertainty measurement.
The review committee shall submit a summary of revisions to the
California Health and Human Services Agency.
   (e) Within  30   90  days of receiving
the review committee's revisions, the California Health and Human
Services Agency may disapprove of one or more of those revisions.
   (f) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the department shall
adopt regulations pursuant to this section that shall incorporate the
review committee's revisions. Nothing in this section shall be
construed as exempting the regulations from the requirements of
Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3
of Title 2 of the Government Code.
   (2) The department shall not adopt regulations to incorporate any
review committee revisions that were disapproved under subdivision
(e).