Colorado § 16-12-303 - Definitions.

§ 16-12-303. Definitions.

As used in this part 3, unless the context otherwise requires:

(1) "Crime laboratory" means a forensic services provider in Colorado that assists law enforcement agencies or prosecutors by performing scientific laboratory testing or examination of physical evidence. "Crime laboratory" does not include a laboratory operated by a county coroner's office.

(2) "Crime laboratory director" or "director" means the senior position of a crime laboratory as defined in the crime laboratory's policy.

(3) "Crime laboratory employee" or "employee" means a person who works or has worked in a crime laboratory, including crime laboratory contract workers.

(4) "Final report" means the final report prepared by a crime laboratory director following an investigation of alleged wrongful action, described in section 16-12-305 (4)(c).

(5) "Forensic services provider" means a unit or section of a law enforcement agency that holds an ISO/IEC 17025 forensic laboratory accreditation or that performs work equivalent to that of an accredited forensic services provider without being accredited.

(6) "Knowing misconduct" means a voluntary act or omission or series of acts or omissions consciously performed by a crime laboratory employee as a result of effort or determination in which the employee is aware that the employee's conduct is improper or deceptive, and which act or omission or series of acts or omissions involve:

(a) The mishandling of physical evidence or data elements or results;

(b) Incorrectly performing forensic testing;

(c) Presenting misleading or false results;

(d) Concealing material information; or

(e) Presenting false sworn testimony about the evidence.

(7) "Significant event" means an act or omission by a crime laboratory employee that is a gross deviation from the laboratory standard operation procedures or accreditation requirements of the crime laboratory, or requirements in law that were applicable at the time of the act or omission of the crime laboratory employee, that could substantially negatively affect the integrity of the crime laboratory activities.

(8) "Wrongful action" means knowing misconduct or a significant event.

Source: L. 2025: Entire part added, (HB 25-1275), ch. 352, p. 1892, § 1, effective June 2.