Note: This version of section effective until 7-1-2027. See also following repeal of this chapter, effective 7-1-2027.
Sec. 5. (a) The powers of the commission shall be as follows:
(1) To establish and maintain a scientific laboratory for research and experimentation. The commission shall not duplicate adequate facilities for experimentation, research, or information which are available to the citizens of the state.
(2) To appoint an administrative director who shall be a physician and should be a pathologist certified by the American Board of Pathology and to select and appoint or accept the loan of other personnel as it deems necessary to carry out its purposes.
(3) To establish and maintain a system of records and to collect data pertinent to the objectives of the commission.
(4) To correlate information concerning forensic science facilities and make this information available to coroners, law enforcement officers, attorneys, and others.
(5) To contract from time to time for the services or opinion of experts in connection with a particular problem or a program of research.
(6) To engage in research and experimentation consistent with the objectives of the commission.
(7) To establish and maintain a forensic sciences library either alone or in cooperation with any other agency of the state, the use of which shall be available to any interested persons.
(8) To engage in and foster programs of information in forensic sciences for interested groups.
(9) To establish from time to time and to promulgate a schedule of reasonable fees and to collect the same for the services of the commission. The considerations in formulating a schedule shall be:
(A) uniformity;
(B) recovery of at least a portion of the cost of furnishing the major services of the commission; and
(C) availability of the services without burdensome expense to officers, agencies, and others in need of the services.
All money received by the commission under this subdivision shall be paid to the commission, which shall give a proper receipt for the same, and shall at the end of each month report to the state comptroller the total amount received by it under the provisions of this subsection, from all sources, and shall at the same time, deposit the entire amount of the receipts with the treasurer of state, who shall place them to the credit of a special fund to be created and known as the forensic sciences commission laboratory expense fund. The commission shall, by its chairperson from time to time, certify to the state comptroller any necessary laboratory expenses incurred by the commission, and the state comptroller shall issue the state comptroller's warrant for the same, which shall be paid out of any funds collected and appropriated to the commission. Payments made by the state comptroller from the forensic sciences commission laboratory expense fund shall be limited so as not to exceed the amounts allotted from this fund by the budget committee.
(10) To accept gifts and grants of money, services, or property and to use the same for any given purpose consistent with the objectives of the commission.
(11) To use the services and facilities of the Indiana department of health, state educational institutions, and hospitals and other agencies supported in whole or in part by public funds.
(12) To establish and maintain branch offices as it considers necessary.
(13) To cooperate with any state or local agency or with any hospital or postsecondary educational institution in any scientific program consistent with the objectives of the commission.
Formerly: Acts 1959, c.361, s.5. As amended by P.L.2-1992, SEC.39; P.L.2-2007, SEC.55; P.L.215-2016, SEC.93; P.L.56-2023, SEC.29; P.L.9-2024, SEC.102.
