A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to establish the JUDICIAL district 17A Bureau of forensic services.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  In order to provide for the performance of the duties hereinafter designated and defined for the better enforcement of the criminal laws in Rockingham County, there is hereby created and established the Judicial District 17A Bureau of Forensic Services.
SECTION 2.  On July 1, 2009, the District Attorney for prosecutorial district 17A, in order to maintain and staff the Judicial District 17A Bureau of Forensic Services, shall name and appoint an identification expert, two identification assistants, one administrative assistant, and such additional personnel as the board of directors, established herein, shall recommend; the said personnel shall be under the supervision of the District Attorney for prosecutorial district 17A, and the salaries of the identification expert, two identification assistants, administrative assistant, and other personnel shall be fixed by the Judicial District 17A Bureau of Forensic Services board of directors.
SECTION 3.  That it shall be the duty of the identification expert and his/her assistants to make photographs of crime scenes, process crime scenes, and to make such investigations as in the opinion of the identification expert or the District Attorney for prosecutorial district 17A are appropriate or necessary. Further, the identification expert and his/her assistants shall process or assist in all matters for the apprehension of criminals and make such investigations as are requested or directed by or on behalf of the District Attorney for prosecutorial district 17A including, but not limited to, the processing of gang‑related crime scenes.
SECTION 4.  The Judicial District 17A Bureau of Forensic Services shall be governed by a board of directors, consisting of the chiefs of police from Eden, Madison, Mayodan, Reidsville, and Stoneville, one elected official from Rockingham County appointed by the District Attorney for prosecutorial district 17A, and the District Attorney for prosecutorial district 17A. The District Attorney for prosecutorial district 17A shall serve as president of the board of directors and will oversee and supervise the day‑to‑day operations of the Judicial District 17A Bureau of Forensic Services.
SECTION 5.  The board of directors shall procure funds for operation, equipment, and expenses for the proper performance of the duties of the Judicial District 17A Bureau of Forensic Services. The Administrative Office of the Courts shall not be responsible for generating, soliciting, budgeting as part of its regular budget, or otherwise raising revenue for the Judicial District 17A Bureau of Forensic Services but will be a conduit or pass‑through for grants, transfers, or other revenues otherwise generated, solicited, or raised by or on behalf of the Judicial District 17A Bureau of Forensic Services.
SECTION 6.  The Judicial District 17A Bureau of Forensic Services board of directors shall set policy and criteria for investigations undertaken by the Judicial District 17A Bureau of Forensic Services.
SECTION 7.  A presiding judge of the superior or district court division of the General Court of Justice may assess any defendant who is convicted of a crime investigated by the Judicial District 17A Bureau of Forensic Services a charge of up to one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00) per conviction; if assessed, said charge shall be distributed to the Judicial District 17A Bureau of Forensic Services to be used to help defray its operating expenses.
SECTION 8.  All laws and clauses of laws which conflict with this act, to the extent of such conflict, are repealed as they relate to the prosecutorial district 17A.
SECTION 9.  This act is effective when it becomes law.