NSPE Discusses Forensic Science Reform Act with Senate Judiciary Counsel

Date: 
Monday, April 4, 2011

NSPE Executive Director Larry Jacobson and Senior Manager of Government Relations Sarah Ogden met with senior counsel from the majority side of the Senate Judiciary Committee to discuss the Criminal Justice and Forensic Science Reform Act (S. 132). NSPE sent a letter to Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) in March expressing concern about the bill's requirement that personnel at federally funded facilities who perform forensic testing, analysis, identification, or comparisons in a criminal context be certified. NSPE believes that professional engineers (and other licensed professionals) do not require further certification in order to perform forensic work in their area of expertise and should be exempt from the certification requirement.

The committee is eager to work with NSPE on the issue and is collaborating with NSPE on bill language to ensure that qualified, licensed professional engineers may continue to perform forensic work without further certification.