Title 34NavyRelease 119-73

§10562 Applications

Title 34 › Subtitle Subtitle I— - Comprehensive Acts › Chapter CHAPTER 101— - JUSTICE SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER XXVII— - PAUL COVERDELL FORENSIC SCIENCES IMPROVEMENT GRANTS › § 10562

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

To get a grant under this subchapter, a State or local government must send the Attorney General four things. They must include a statement that they have a plan for forensic science laboratories under the program in section 10564(a) and a clear description of how the grant money will be used to carry out that plan. They must say that any forensic lab, medical examiner’s office, or coroner’s office getting grant money uses accepted laboratory practices. Those recipients must either already have accreditation from an accrediting body that is a signatory to an internationally recognized arrangement or legally promise to use part of the grant to prepare and apply for that accreditation no more than 2 years after the grant is awarded under section 10561. They must describe any new facility to be built under the plan, give the estimated costs, and promise that grant spending on the facility will not exceed the limits in section 10564(c). They must also confirm that a government body and a process exist to carry out independent external investigations into serious negligence or misconduct that could affect forensic results for any lab, medical examiner, coroner, law enforcement evidence storage, or medical facility that will get grant money.

Full Legal Text

Title 34, §10562

Navy — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

To request a grant under this subchapter, a State or unit of local government shall submit to the Attorney General—
(1)a certification that the State or unit of local government has developed a plan for forensic science laboratories under a program described in section 10564(a) of this title, and a specific description of the manner in which the grant will be used to carry out that plan;
(2)a certification that any forensic science laboratory system, medical examiner’s office, or coroner’s office in the State, including any laboratory operated by a unit of local government within the State, that will receive any portion of the grant amount uses generally accepted laboratory practices and procedures, established by accrediting organizations or appropriate certifying bodies and, except with regard to any medical examiner’s office, or coroner’s office in the State, is accredited by an accrediting body that is a signatory to an internationally recognized arrangement and that offers accreditation to forensic science conformity assessment bodies using an accreditation standard that is recognized by that internationally recognized arrangement, or attests, in a manner that is legally binding and enforceable, to use a portion of the grant amount to prepare and apply for such accreditation not more than 2 years after the date on which a grant is awarded under section 10561 of this title;
(3)a specific description of any new facility to be constructed as part of the program for a State or local plan described in paragraph (1), and the estimated costs of that facility, and a certification that the amount of the grant used for the costs of the facility will not exceed the limitations set forth in section 10564(c) of this title; and
(4)a certification that a government entity exists and an appropriate process is in place to conduct independent external investigations into allegations of serious negligence or misconduct substantially affecting the integrity of the forensic results committed by employees or contractors of any forensic laboratory system, medical examiner’s office, coroner’s office, law enforcement storage facility, or medical facility in the State that will receive a portion of the grant amount.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Section was formerly classified to section 3797k of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section. Some section numbers or references in amendment notes below reflect the classification of such sections or references prior to editorial reclassification.

Amendments

2016—Par. (2). Pub. L. 114–324 inserted “and, except with regard to any medical examiner’s office, or coroner’s office in the State, is accredited by an accrediting body that is a signatory to an internationally recognized arrangement and that offers accreditation to forensic science conformity assessment bodies using an accreditation standard that is recognized by that internationally recognized arrangement, or attests, in a manner that is legally binding and enforceable, to use a portion of the grant amount to prepare and apply for such accreditation not more than 2 years after the date on which a grant is awarded under section 3797j of this title” after “bodies”. 2004—Par. (4). Pub. L. 108–405 added par. (4). 2002—Pub. L. 107–273, § 5001(b)(2)(A), inserted “or unit of local government” after “State” in introductory provisions. Par. (1). Pub. L. 107–273, § 5001(b)(2)(B), amended par. (1) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (1) read as follows: “a certification that the State has developed a consolidated State plan for forensic science laboratories operated by the State or by other units of local government within the State under a program described in section 3797m(a) of this title, and a specific description of the manner in which the grant will be used to carry out that plan;”. Par. (2). Pub. L. 107–273, § 5001(b)(2)(C), inserted “or appropriate certifying bodies” after “accrediting organizations”. Par. (3). Pub. L. 107–273, § 5001(b)(2)(D), inserted “for a State or local plan” after “program”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

34 U.S.C. § 10562

Title 34Navy

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73