Bill to address wrongful misconduct by crime lab workers heads to Colorado governor's desk
Colorado state senators approved a bill to help address the backlog in DNA tests collected by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. It's now headed to Gov. Jared Polis's desk.
The bill addresses gaps following a scandal at the CBI involving DNA analyst Yvonne "Missy" Woods.
Woods, a former CBI forensic scientist, was charged with manipulating and mishandling data in the DNA testing process of more than 800 criminal cases as far back as 2014. As CBS News Colorado's Shaun Boyd has reported, this has contributed to the 588-day delay in results from sexual assault kits.
House Bill 25-1275 is sponsored by state Rep. Matt Soper of Delta and Mesa Counties, state Rep. Yara Zokaie of Larimer County, state Sen. Mike Weissman representing Adams and Arapahoe Counties, and state Sen. Lisa Frizell of Douglas County.
"Recent events have demonstrated gaps in our laws when it comes to addressing allegations of investigatory misconduct that call criminal proceedings into question," Weissman said.
The bill would "require an employee to report witnessed or discovered knowing misconduct or a significant event ... to the director of the crime laboratory ... or to the employee's immediate supervisor, who shall report it to the director."
