* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [Houston Forensic Science Center: Board of Directors Meeting on May 9, 2025.] [00:00:19] PLEASE CALL THE ROLE. YES, MADAM CHAIR. I'LL BEGIN THE ROLL CALL NOW. CHAIRWOMAN COHEN HERE. VICE CHAIR BAIRD. HERE. DIRECTOR QUEZ. HERE. DIRECTOR HILDER. DIRECTOR SILVERMAN. DIRECTOR CORRALES. HERE. DIRECTOR YOU. DIRECTOR MOJA. DIRECTOR HUFF HERE. AND DIRECTOR K HERE. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A QUORUM AND WE MAY PROCEED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UM, I ONLY HAVE ONE UPDATE FOR THE BOARD THIS MONTH, AND IT'S THE OVERVIEW OF THE VEHICLE EXAMINATION BUILDING, UH, THAT I WENT ON WITH, UM, WITH, UM, VICE CHAIR BAIRD. AND IT WAS AN AMAZING, INSTRUCTIVE EXPERIENCE. IT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I EXPECTED, BUT IT, I WAS JUST BLOWN AWAY. I MEAN, YOU CAN EAT OFF THE FLOOR IN THAT PLACE. IT'S SO METICULOUS AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS FANTASTIC. UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE HAVING TAKEN THE TOUR. UM, AND I'M WONDERING WHETHER OR NOT, UM, VICE CHAIR BAIRD HAS ANY COMMENT SHE'D LIKE TO MAKE ABOUT IT? BOY, I, I SECOND, UH, JUST WHAT YOU SAID. UH, AND ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS SURPRISED BY IS HOW MANY VEHICLES HAVE TO BE INSPECTED, UM, THAT ARE ROLLING CRIME SCENES BASICALLY, AND THE WORK THAT THEY DO IS AMAZING AND THAT THE PERSON WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THAT IS A FORMER CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATOR. SO THEY HAVE THE BENEFIT OF HAVING A REAL PROFESSIONAL IN THERE VERSUS JUST A CLERICAL PERSON. AND THAT MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD. BUT, UM, THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES THAT COME THROUGH THERE REALLY IS ASTOUNDING. AND CONGRATULATIONS, PETER, ON, ON GREAT WORK BY THE TEAM. ABSOLUTELY. YES. IT REALLY WAS. IT WAS A GREAT TOUR. AND IF ANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE INTERESTED IN DOING, MAKING THAT TOUR, I THINK SET IT UP WITH PETER'S OFFICE. YEP. UM, AND I THINK YOU'LL FIND IT EXTREMELY INTERESTING. UH, THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? OKAY. WE'LL PROCEED TO AGENDA ITEM FOUR. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN THE FLOOR FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS AND INVITE ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC THAT WISHES TO SPEAK TO COME TO THE PODIUM, ADDRESS THE BOARD. WE ASK ALL SPEAKERS TO SIGN IN IN FRONT OF THE ROOM SO WE ARE AWARE OF YOUR PRESENCE. AND ALL COMMENTS ARE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES. YOU MAY SPEAK ON ANY MATTER CONCERNING THE BOARD AND HFSC AT THIS TIME. DO WE HAVE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO HAS SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? DON'T TRAMPLE EACH OTHER ON THE WAY TO THE FRONT. . OKAY. SEEING NO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN OUR AUDIENCE TODAY WHO HAVE SIGNED UP FOR THE COMMENT, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT. PERIOD. IT'S NOW CLOSED. NOW WE'LL CONSIDER MEETING MINUTES FROM THE MARCH 14TH BOARD MEETING. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY CORRECTIONS OR ADDITIONS TO THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED? ANYONE? NOPE. AT THIS TIME WE'LL CONDUCT A VOICE. VOTE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES. MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? UH, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THEM. THANK YOU. I SECOND. SECOND. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. PLEASE UNMUTE YOUR MICS AT THIS TIME FOR THE VOTE. VOICE VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. I'LL OPPOSE NAY. VERY GOOD. THE MOTION CARRIES AND PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NOW WE'LL PROCEED TO AGENDA ITEM SIX AND CONSIDER ANNUAL APPOINTMENT OF CORPORATE OFFICERS DR. PETER STOUT AS PRESIDENT DR. AMY COSTELLO AS VICE PRESIDENT. MR. DAVID TREASURER. AND MS. NATALIE, DO I SAY IT? V ZAY. OKAY. I'LL MESS IT UP AGAIN, I'M SURE, BUT THAT'S FINE. JUST KEEP CORRECTING ME. ZAY. AND, AND POSSIBLE RELATED ACTIONS. MEMBERS, AS YOU KNOW, THE BOARD APPOINTS CORPORATE OFFICERS ANNUALLY AS REQUIRED BY THE BYLAWS. WE'RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE A WONDERFUL GROUP OF CORPORATE OFFICERS AND I'M PLEASED TO OFFER THEM UP TO THE BOARD FOR REAPPOINTMENT. WE'VE HAD SEVERAL CHALLENGES OVER THE LAST YEAR, AND OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM HAS DONE A GREAT JOB. I WOULD GO SUFFICE TO SAY, SPECTACULAR JOB IN GUIDING OUR STAFF THROUGH THOSE CHALLENGES. I'M CONFIDENT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE PROVIDING [00:05:01] THE LEADERSHIP THAT HFSC NEEDS. ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? IF THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, I WILL PROCEED TO THE VOTE. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL CONDUCT A VOICE VOTE. DO I HAVE A MOTION? AND SECOND, TO APPOINT OUR CO CORPORATE OFFICERS, DR. PETER STOUT AS PRESIDENT DR. AMY CASTELLO AS VICE PRESIDENT, DR. MR. DAVID LEACH AS TREASURER. AND MS. NATALIE ZA ZA GETTING THERE AS SECRETARY UNTIL THE MAY, 2026 BOARD MEETING. DO I HAVE A MOTION? OKAY. THANK YOU. SECOND. SECOND. THANK YOU. I DON'T REPEAT THE NAMES. DO YOU GET WHO THAT IS? OKAY. YOU'RE GETTING WHO'S SAYING? VERY GOOD. OKAY. THE MOTION CARRIES. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? VERY GOOD. GOOD. MOTION CARRIES. CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR CORPORATE OFFICERS AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING OUR WORK WITH YOU. AND NOW WE'LL PROCEED TO AGENDA ITEM SEVEN. CONSIDER THE ANNUAL SELECTION OF THE VICE CHAIR OF THE BOARD AND POSSIBLE RELATED ACTIONS MEMBERS. OUR NEXT ANNUAL BUSINESS ITEM IS A SELECTION OF OUR BOARD VICE CHAIR. THE BOARD PASSES. THE BOARD PASSED A RESOLUTION IN 2020, WHICH SETS THE ANNUAL SELECTION OF THIS POSITION ON THE SAME DATE AS THE APPOINTMENT OF THE CORPORATE OFFICERS. TO THAT END, I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE ENTHUSIASTICALLY DIRECTOR JONI BARRETT. NO. TO CONTINUE SERVING AS OUR VICE CHAIR, I'VE ASKED DIRECTOR BAIRD IF SHE'S RECEPTIVE TO THIS APPOINTMENT AND SHE HAS AGREED TO CONTINUE SERVING IF THE BOARD IS ALSO IN FAVOR OF HER SELECTION. VICE CHAIR BAIRD HAS BEEN A GREAT ADVOCATE FOR HFSC AND HAS ASSISTED ME IN SO MANY WAYS DURING MY, UH, DURING HER TENURE. SO I'M PLEASED TO HAVE HER CONTINUE THE WORK SHE'S DOING FOR ANOTHER YEAR. BEFORE I FORMALLY CALL FOR A MOTION TO SELECT DIRECTOR BAIRD TO SERVE ANOTHER TERM. LET ME TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO HER FOR ANY COMMENT SHE MAY HAVE. VICE CHAIR BAIRD. THANK YOU, CHAIRWOMAN. UM, IT'S BEEN AN HONOR AND A PLEASURE TO SERVE. IT HAS BEEN FASCINATING TO ME. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST FUN THINGS THAT I DO. UH, AND WHEN PEOPLE HEAR THAT, NUMBER ONE, I'M ON THE BOARD AND I'M THE VICE CHAIR, ALL THEY WANT TO DO IS TALK ABOUT THIS ORGANIZATION AND HOW FABULOUS IT IS. SO I FEEL HONORED TO BE A PART AND TO WORK WITH ALL OF YOU. IT'S REALLY BEEN A PLEASURE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, OR NOMINATIONS HEARING? NO FURTHER DISCUSSION. WE'LL PROCEED WITH THE VOTE. AT THIS TIME. WE'LL CONDUCT A VOICE VOTE TO APPROVE THE REAPPOINTMENT OF OUR VICE CHAIR. AND I MIGHT SAY IT'S ABSOLUTE PLEASURE TO WORK WITH JONI AND SHE IS TRULY DEDICATED TO THE FORENSIC SCIENCE CENTER, UM, AS EVIDENCED BY ALL THE MEETINGS SHE ATTENDS AND EVERYTHING SHE'S INTERESTED IN. SO, UH, WE ARE IN WONDERFUL HANDS WITH JONI. DO I HAVE A MOTION? AND A SECOND TO REAPPOINT DIRECTOR JONI BAIRD AS THE BOARD VICE CHAIR FOR A TERM CONCLUDING AT THE MAY, 2026 BOARD MEETING. DO YOU HAVE A NOMINATION? I'M SO MOVED. OKAY. SECOND. SECOND. SECOND. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. ANY DISCUSSION, PLEASE UNMUTE YOUR MICS AT THIS TIME FOR THE VOICE VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. DOES THAT HAVE A PAYCHECK WITH IT? IT'S KIND OF LIKE YOURS, ISN'T IT? THAT BIG OLD PAYCHECK YOU GET JUST SHY OF MINE. CONGRATULATIONS. DIRECTION, FARD. WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH YOU AS VICE CHAIRWOMAN. THANK YOU. REALLY, SINCERELY, I MEAN, THOSE ARE THE WORDS ON HERE, BUT FROM MY HEART, I THINK YOU DO A FABULOUS JOB. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. IT'S MY PLEASURE. NOW WE'LL PROCEED TO ITEM EIGHT, REPORT FROM DR. PETER STOUT, PRESIDENT AND CEO, INCLUDING AN OVERVIEW OF OPERATIONS AND TECHNICAL UPDATES AND OTHER CORPORATE BUSINESS ITEMS, PETER. ALRIGHT, SO WE GET THROUGH THE FIRST SEVEN ITEMS IN THE AGENDA IN 10 MINUTES, AND THEN WE SPEND AN AWFUL LOT OF TIME WITH ME TALKING TOO MUCH. SO, UM, SO, SO FIRST OFF BEFORE I GET GOING, YEAH, WE, WE, WE HAVE Y'ALL NERD, HER T-SHIRTS HERE. UM, AND WHATEVER SIZE YOU WANT. WE'VE GOT SOME SIZES HERE WITH NATALIE. SO THE, THE BACKGROUND ON THAT, UH, ASHLEY HENRY MADE ME A T-SHIRT THAT HAD LITTLE UNICORNS ON IT AND HFSC ON THE FRONT AND HEAD NERD ON THE BACK OF IT. AND I WORE IT TO ONE OF OUR COMPANY MEETINGS AND EVERYBODY WAS LAUGHING A LOT ABOUT THAT. AND THEY ACTUALLY, IT WAS, IT WAS KIM ZELLER, WHO'S ONE OF THE SUPERVISORS IN FIREARMS ON THE FLY MADE THE LOGO THAT'S ON THIS. AND IT WAS JUST TOO MUCH FUN. SO I HAD T-SHIRTS MADE FOR EVERYBODY, [00:10:01] . BUT YEAH, OWN THE NERD. IT IS. I LIKE TO SAY I'VE GOT 200 REALLY IMPRESSIVE NERDS THAT ACTUALLY MAKE ALL THIS HAPPEN. I JUST GET THE PRIVILEGE OF TALKING ABOUT IT. SO WELCOME TO THE NERD HERD . OKAY. UM, SO WHAT DO WE GOT? COUPLE OF UPDATES. UH, JUST THE NOTABLE UPDATES SINCE THE LAST BOARD MEETING. REMEMBER KARINA CAME IN, GAVE YOU SOME, UH, DISCUSSION OF WHAT MATTERPORT IS, THE NEW TOOL FOR CRIME SCENE. UM, THEY HAVE DEALT WITH ALL THE EQUIPMENT TRAINING IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS FOR CRIME SCENE. AND RIGHT NOW THEY'RE WORKING ON PRACTIC SCENES AND COMPETENCY TESTING. 'CAUSE REMEMBER, UNDER ACCREDITATION, WE HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE COMPETENCY BEFORE WE PUT ANYTHING INTO PRODUCTION, AND THEY'LL GET THAT COMPLETED OVER THE NEXT FOUR WEEKS. SO WE WILL HAVE, UM, MATTERPORT IN PRODUCTION HERE PROBABLY IN ABOUT ANOTHER MONTH, WHICH I THINK, UM, DA'S OFFICE IS VERY, VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS. I'M HOPEFUL THAT INVESTIGATORS WILL FIND THIS A HELPFUL TOOL FOR 'EM. THE PROPERTY, UH, STUFF IN CONSTRUCTION FOR THAT IS WELL UNDERWAY. UH, THE 12TH FLOOR MOVE WAS COMPLETED, UM, BY, UH, OUR, LET'S SEE, OUR LSS TEAM LIVE AND STARLA WERE THE ONES THAT WERE MOSTLY DOING THIS. UH, 12TH FLOOR MOVE WENT EXTRAORDINARILY SMOOTHLY. THAT'S ALL BEEN COMPLETED. AND WE'VE GOT THE PERMITTING IS IN, AND THE LOADING DOCK CONSTRUCTION SHOULD BE COMPLETED ABOUT THE END OF MAY. BUT FOR THE TWO BASEMENTS THAT PERMITTING STUFF IS ALL IN. SO ALL OF THE CONSTRUCTION STUFF SEEMS TO BE ON, ON SCHEDULE. UH, WE'VE HAD A FEW DELAYS, A FEW EH, SORT OF TARIFF IMPACTS, UM, BEEN WATCHING THE PRICES STEAL AND SOME THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT SO FAR IT'S NOT REALLY DISRUPTED ANYTHING ON THAT. AND THEN LAST, WANTED TO MENTION ABOUT TRAINING BECAUSE CLEARLY EVERYBODY IS VERY INTERESTED IN WHERE WE'RE AT ON THESE THINGS. WE HAVE TWO NEW ANALYSTS THAT WERE SIGNED OFF AND SEIZE DRUGS. SO THEY WILL START WORKING CASE WORK, UH, OR ALREADY WORKING CASE WORK. SO THAT'S GONNA START HAVING AN IMPACT ON BACKLOG THERE PRETTY QUICKLY. AND IN AUGUST OF 2025, WE'VE GOT FOUR MORE DNA ANALYSTS THAT'LL BE SIGNED OFF. AND EARLY 26, THERE'LL BE THREE MORE THERE. SO THAT WILL HAVE, UM, LARGE IMPACT IN BIOLOGY. REMEMBER. SO FOR THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, WE ADDED ABOUT TWO AND A HALF MILLION TO BIOLOGY THAT OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS WE SHIFT TO MORE PERSONNEL, LESS OUTSOURCING. UM, AND IT'S, IT'S CLEARLY MAKING AN IMPACT. YOU CAN KINDA SEE IN THE PATH OF BACKLOGS AS DEFINED BY STUFF OVER 30 DAYS, UH, SIGNIFICANT IMPACT IN BIOLOGY ALREADY. AND IT'S, IT'S ALWAYS FUN TO HAVE A GRAPH THAT YOU SEE THE LINE MAKE A REAL SHARP CHANGE WHEN THE MONEY CAME. UM, WHERE IT MAKES THE REAL SHARP CHANGE, THAT'S WHERE THE MONEY CAME AND WE'RE MAKING GOOD PROGRESS THERE. SEIZE DRUGS. IT'S EARLY DAYS YET, BUT I THINK WE WILL START TO SEE THAT LINE COME DOWN MORE. AND FIREARMS, AS WE HAVE TALKED NOW FOUR YEARS IS THE PAIN POINT. UM, AND WHERE WE NEED THE RESOURCES IN THE WORK. WANTED TO UPDATE EVERYBODY ON WHERE WE'RE AT IN THE NATIONAL GRANT FUNDING SITUATION IN ALL THINGS FEDERAL. SO, UH, I THINK THIS WAS NOW THREE WEEKS AGO, UM, US DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE RESCINDED ALMOST A BILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF GRANT FUNDING WITHIN DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. VAST MAJORITY OF THAT AFFECTED ALL KINDS OF OTHER PROGRAMS AND NOT FORENSICS. HOWEVER, THE PROGRAM THAT WAS CANCELED, IT WAS WHAT'S CALLED THE FORENSIC TECHNOLOGY CENTER OF EXCELLENCE, ACTUALLY IS A PROJECT THAT'S KIND OF NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART. 'CAUSE WHEN I WORKED AT RTI, I WAS PART OF THE TEAM THAT ORIGINALLY WON THAT, UH, PROJECT ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO TO RTI. IT IS A DECADES LONG PROJECT THAT HAS EXISTED UNDER NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF JUSTICE THAT LARGELY DEALS WITH TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION AND TRANSFER FOR THE FORENSIC WORLD. IT HAS BEEN TRADITIONALLY THE SINGLE LARGEST INVESTMENT THAT NIJ MAKES IN FORENSICS. IT'S ABOUT A $12 MILLION GRANT. AND YEAH, THAT ONE WAS CANCELED. SO WHILE IT DOES NOT AFFECT US DIRECTLY, IT DOES AFFECT US INDIRECTLY BECAUSE IT IS A SOURCE OF A LOT OF TRAINING AND CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR FORENSIC ANALYSTS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. AND YEAH, I'M NOT SURE WHAT'S REALLY GONNA HAPPEN THERE. UM, THERE ARE SOME REALLY CORE THINGS THAT FLOWED THROUGH THE FORENSIC TECHNOLOGY CENTER OF EXCELLENCE. ONE IN PARTICULAR IS WHAT'S CALLED THE FORENSIC LABORATORY NEEDS TECHNICAL WORKING GROUP THAT BOTH DR. PRECIOUS RUDIN AND I ARE ON THE MOST RECENT VERSION OF IT. UH, AND THAT WAS ALSO THE PROGRAM THAT WAS TASKED WITH, UH, THE MOST RECENT UPDATE OF THE FORENSIC LABORATORY NEEDS ASSESSMENT THAT [00:15:01] IS MANDATED UNDER THE JUSTICE FOR ALL ACT. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN WITH THOSE. THE PART THAT COULD HAVE DIRECT IMPACT TO US IS WHAT'S CALLED THE CAPACITY ENHANCEMENT BACKLOG REDUCTION OR SEBER GRANTS. YOU'VE HEARD THAT TERM BEFORE. THIS IS THE MONEY THAT COMES UNDER THE DEBBIE SMITH ACT. UM, AT THE MOMENT, ALL OF THE CONVERSATIONS I HAVE HAD DON'T INDICATE ANYONE THINKING THEY'RE GONNA DEFUND IT. HOWEVER, AT THE MOMENT, THE SOLICITATION FOR THAT GRANT FOR THIS FUNDING CYCLE HAS YET TO RELEASE. USUALLY BY THIS POINT IN THE YEAR, WE HAVE ALREADY SUBMITTED OUR PROPOSALS. THE PROBLEM, AND I HAVE MENTIONED THIS TO, UM, SENATOR CORNIN HA WAS THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR OF THIS BILL. HE IS SHEPHERDED THROUGH MANY REAUTHORIZATIONS OF IT. IT IS A BILL THAT IS KINDA SYNONYMOUS WITH SENATOR CORNIN. I'VE SPOKEN WITH HIS OFFICE ABOUT IT. I'VE SPOKEN WITH SEVERAL OFFICES ABOUT IT. ANYBODY THAT'S UNFORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GET CAUGHT IN A ROOM WITH ME, I'VE MENTIONED IT TOO. THE PROBLEM HERE IS THE DELAY IN THIS FUNDING CYCLE IS GOING TO MEAN A PROBLEM NATIONWIDE. UH, AT THIS POINT, EVEN IF THIS SOLICITATION WERE TO RELEASE RIGHT NOW, IT IS ABOUT A YEAR'S WORTH OF WORK BEFORE FUNDING RELEASES. THERE ARE MANY LABORATORIES IN THE COUNTRY THAT FUND PERSONNEL ON THIS, AND THIS MEANS SOMEWHERE AROUND DECEMBER THEY'RE GONNA RUN OUTTA MONEY AND MONEY ISN'T GOING TO RELEASE UNTIL AT BEST, APRIL OR MAY. THAT'S A PROBLEM. THEY'RE GONNA LOSE HIGHLY TRAINED PERSONNEL. THEY'RE GONNA LOSE THE POSITION THAT GOES WITH IT AND THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO REPLACE 'EM. UH, FOR US, UM, AMY ABBY, OUR GRANT MANAGER, I, WE ARE ALL PARANOID ENOUGH ABOUT THIS THAT WE MANAGE THINGS EXPECTING A DELAY IN FUNDING. SO WE'RE OKAY. UH, AMY, THROUGH THE GOVERNOR'S TASK FORCE, UH, SEXUAL ASSAULT TASK FORCE, UM, HAS INDICATED THAT THERE IS SOME MONEY WITHIN THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE TO MAYBE HELP TEXAS LABORATORIES IF THERE IS A GAP IN FUNDING HERE. UM, SO I LESS WORRIED ABOUT US DIRECTLY, BUT THIS IS GOING TO BE A PROBLEM IN THE NATION THAT IS GOING TO AFFECT SEXUAL ASSAULT KITS, AND THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN SOMEWHERE AROUND DECEMBER. UM, ALSO UNDER NIJ, THERE HAVE BEEN R AND D, WHAT ARE CALLED THE, THE PUBLIC LAB GRANTS. THERE, THE RESEARCH GRANTS THAT ARE TARGETING PUBLIC LABORATORIES. THERE'S FELLOWSHIPS, THERE'S POSTDOCS, ALL OF THOSE PROGRAMS, NO CLUE WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN WITH THEM. UH, MY SUSPICION IS NONE OF THEM WILL BE FUNDED THIS CYCLE, WHICH IS A SIGNIFICANT HIT. AND YOU KNOW, I'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS PLENTY OF TIMES BEFORE. THE ENTIRE FEDERAL POT OF MONEY AVAILABLE TO LABORATORIES IS PATHETICALLY SMALL TO BEGIN WITH. UH, BUT IT IS VITAL TO LABORATORIES WHO HAVE PATHETICALLY SMALL BUDGETS ANYWAYS, AND THIS IS, IT'S GONNA BE A HIT NATIONWIDE. UM, ON THE GOODISH NEWS SIDE OF THINGS, UH, HAVE HAD SOME REALLY POSITIVE CONVERSATIONS WITH REPRESENTATIVE LI LIZZIE FLETCHER'S OFFICE. UH, THEY SELECTED OUR PROPOSAL FOR THIS CYCLE'S FY 26 COMMUNITY FUNDED PROGRAMS. WE HAVE ONE OF THESE GRANTS RIGHT NOW THAT'S FUNDED UNDER WHAT'S CALLED THE BURN GRANT IS THE ACTUAL FUNDING MECHANISMS. BUT IT'S A COMMUNITY FUNDED PROGRAM. UM, THE ONE THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE IS REALLY TO TRY AND HELP THE ENTIRE SYSTEM FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE SYSTEMS MORE INTEROPERABLE BETWEEN US. THE DA HPD, THE COURTS. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. WE, WE, YEAH. ALL OF US THAT DEAL WITH IT KNOW EXACTLY THAT. UM, THIS PARTICULAR PROPOSAL IS TRYING TO LOOK AT A PILE OF DRUG CASES THAT ARE IN HPD STORAGE. UH, THERE'S ABOUT 70,000 CASES THAT ARE THERE. THESE ARE ALL CASES THAT WERE MISDEMEANOR, UM, OFFENSES. AND THE DIFFICULTY IS, IS THEY WERE LARGELY CASES THAT ACCEPTED A PLEA AGREEMENT BASED OFF OF A FIELD TEST, WHICH THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEM PROBABLY ARE JUST FINE. HOWEVER, UH, THERE WAS BEEN A COUPLE OF STUDIES TO INDICATE THAT PROBABLY YOU'VE GOT ABOUT A THREE TO 5% FALSE POSITIVE RATE OUT OF THAT. SO IN THAT 70,000, THERE MAY BE AS MANY AS 3000 PEOPLE WHO ACCEPTED A PLEA AGREEMENT WHEN IT WASN'T A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE. WHAT IN THE WORLD DO YOU DO WITH THIS? 'CAUSE 70,000 CASES TO GO BRUTE FORCE TEST THAT 10 TO $15 MILLION WORTH OF TESTING, NOBODY'S GOT THAT MONEY. UM, AND THESE ARE ALL CASES THAT GO BACK 20 TO 30 YEARS. MATERIALS HAVE DEGRADED, EVEN TESTING IT NOW MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE. SO WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT? THE PROPOSAL IS SOME RESOURCES IN THERE TO TAKE A SUBSET [00:20:01] OF THOSE, DO TESTING WITH IT, EITHER AT HFSC OR OUTSOURCING AND RESEARCHING THOSE CASES TO SEE IF WE CAN FIND INDICATORS WITHIN THAT THAT GIVE US A MORE INTELLIGENT WAY TO LOOK AT THESE CASES. THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY CASES THAT ARE NO RISK, CASES THAT ARE HIGH RISK AND BETTER TARGET WHAT MONEY IS AVAILABLE TO DO TESTING OF THAT. AND IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S NO CONSEQUENCE TO LEAVE THESE THINGS IN STORAGE. THESE ARE DRUGS. WE'VE, WE'VE ALREADY SEEN THAT DRUGS ATTRACT RODENTS MM-HMM . AND CREATE PROBLEMS AND DRUGS THEMSELVES ARE JUST NOT STABLE. SO SIMPLY STORING THESE THINGS PRESENTS A HEALTH AND SAFETY RISK, UH, AND A COST THAT YOU CAN'T JUST SIMPLY HAVE IT THERE. SO SOMETHING'S GOTTA HAPPEN WITH THESE THESE AND TRYING TO DO SOMETHING MORE INTELLIGENT WITH IT. BUT THAT'S, THAT'S THE PROPOSAL THAT THEY'VE ACCEPTED. NOW, THERE'S NO GUARANTEE OF IT BEING ACTUALLY FUNDED, BUT IT WAS NICE TO SEE THAT THEY FIGURED THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA AND SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD AT LEAST TRY. ANY QUESTIONS SO FAR ON GRANT FUNDING STUFF? I HAVE ONE QUESTION THOUGH. YEAH. DID YOU SAY THAT PEOPLE THAT ADMITTED TO SUBSTANCE ABUSE, THE PERCENTAGE THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT MM-HMM . THAT YOU SAID ADMITTED TO SUBSTANCE ABUSE, BUT HADN'T? WELL, SO THESE, THESE ARE DRUG MATERIALS. MM-HMM . SO THEY'RE PILLS, POWDERS, GREEN LEAFY, STUFF LIKE THAT. THEY TOOK A PLEA AGREEMENT. SO THEY, THEY PLED TO A POSSESSION CHARGE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT BASED OFF OF A FIELD TEST. OKAY. UM, THOSE FIELD TESTS, GOOD DEMONSTRATION OF IT. AND THERE'S ACTUALLY KIND OF A LONG HISTORY OF IT, OF EXONERATIONS HERE IN HARRIS COUNTY AROUND THOSE FIELD TESTS BEING INCORRECT, THAT THEY WILL REACT WITH SOMETHING, THEN INDICATE A DRUG. SO THEY TAKE A PLEA AGREEMENT ON IT WHEN IT'S NOT ACTUALLY A DRUG. THE MOST NOTORIOUS OF THIS IS THE OPIOID FIELD KIT. UM, IS ALSO THE SAME FIELD KIT FOR METH. IT IS FUMING SULFURIC ACID IN FORMALDEHYDE. IT TURNS BROWN IN THE PRESENCE OF METHAMPHETAMINE OR IT KIND OF SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT BROWN IN THE PRESENCE OF FENTANYL. BUT IT WILL ALSO TURN BROWN IN THE PRESENCE OF SUGAR. IT WILL ALSO TURN BROWN IN THE PRESENCE OF ALMOST ANY CARBOHYDRATE PAPER. ALL OF THESE THINGS. UM, THERE, THERE'S ALL KINDS OF YOUTUBE STORIES AROUND FALSE RESULTS OUTTA THIS. THAT'S WHY THE LABORATORY BASED TEST IS NECESSARY. UM, YOU GO BACK ABOUT 20 14, 20 15, RIGHT AROUND THE START OF HFSC, THERE'S A, ACTUALLY A SIGNIFICANT, UH, PROPUBLICA SERIES CALLED BUSTED, UM, THAT POINTS AT THE WORK THAT ACTUALLY, UM, JAMES, OUR MANAGER OF SEIZES DRUGS, SEIZES DRUGS AT THE TIME, CONTINUED TO GO TESTING THESE THINGS. AND IT FOUND, UH, THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT CHUNK OF CASES. THERE'S ABOUT 300 EXONERATIONS IN HARRIS COUNTY THAT WERE EXACTLY THIS. THEY WERE NOT SEIZED DRUGS. UM, AND TO THE DA'S CREDIT AT THE TIME, THEY WENT ABOUT, UM, EXONERATING THOSE FOLKS. THAT'S WHY IF YOU LOOK AT THE NATIONAL DATABASE OF EXONERATIONS, HARRIS COUNTY'S STICKS OUT AS HAVING THE MOST EXONERATIONS IN THE COUNTRY, LARGELY BECAUSE OF THOSE SEIZE DRUGS CASES. BUT THIS IS ANOTHER PILE OF THOSE, THESE ARE MISDEMEANORS, NOT FELONIES, BUT IT'S STILL, THERE IS A REAL REALITY IN THERE THAT PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN PLEA AGREEMENTS ON THESE, THAT IT WAS NOT DRUGS. ARE THOSE STILL BEING USED? THOSE FIELD TESTS LAR IN HARRIS COUNTY? LARGELY, NO. UM, SO IN 20, IT WAS 2018 OR 2019 WHEN WE DETECTED THE FIRST CAR, FENTANYL CASE CAME THROUGH. UM, THAT WAS KIND OF THE STRAW THAT HAD ALL OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN HARRIS COUNTY DECIDE TO STOP DOING FIELD TESTING, IN PART BECAUSE OF CONCERNS AROUND THE FALSE RESULTS, BUT ALSO JUST SIMPLY OFFICER SAFETY. UH, ONCE WE KNEW THE CAR, FENTANYL AND FENTANYL WERE THERE, IN ORDER TO USE THOSE LITTLE KITS, YOU HAVE TO OPEN THE PACKAGING, SCOOP THEM OUT, PUT IT IN A LITTLE BAGGY, SHAKE IT UP. SO THE EXPOSURE RISK TO OFFICERS WAS REAL. AND THAT WAS PART OF THE OFFICER SAFETY CHOICE, WAS JUST TO STOP DOING FIELD TESTING. SO BY AND LARGE FIELD TESTING IS NOT DONE IN HARRIS COUNTY NOW. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YEAH. LONG, LONG HISTORY ON THAT. WE CAN, UM, NATALIE, IF YOU CAN HELP ME REMEMBER TO SEND OUT THE LINKS TO THAT PROPUBLICA SERIES 'CAUSE IT'S, IT'S PRETTY GOOD HISTORY ON STUFF. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON GRANT STUFF? ALL RIGHT. TEXAS LEGISLATIVE STUFF, BECAUSE, UH, AND I WAS JUST LOOKING AT THIS AND THERE'S ACTUALLY A FEW UPDATES EVEN FROM WHAT I'VE GOT ON THE SLIDE THERE. SO, SB 1620, HB 52 93, THAT IS THE TEXAS FORENSIC ANALYST APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM. UH, SB 1620 WAS CARRIED BY [00:25:01] SENATOR HUFFMAN, HB 52 93 CARRIED BY REPRESENTATIVE BONIN. UH, 1620 PASSED THE SENATE AND THEN IT WAS BE 6 0 52 93 WAS HEARD IN THE HOUSE LAST WEEK, UM, AND WAS PENDING A COMMITTEE VOTE. BUT I WAS JUST LOOKING THIS MORNING. THEY ACTUALLY, THE SENATE COMMITTEE TOOK UP SB 16, OR THE HOUSE COMMITTEES TOOK UP THE HOUSE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE TOOK UP SB 1620, THEIR IDENTICAL BILLS. UM, 1620 OBVIOUSLY HAS A BETTER PRIORITY NUMBER ON IT. SO THEY TOOK THAT UP. THEY HAVE PASSED THAT OUT OF COMMITTEE FAVORABLY. SO IT IS HEADED TO THE HOUSE FLOOR. UM, YET ONE STEP CLOSER TO, WE MAY ACTUALLY HAVE A FORENSIC ANALYST APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM IN THIS STATE. UM, IT WOULD BE A PRETTY REMARKABLE THING IF THIS ACTUALLY MAKES IT THERE. BUT WE'RE NOW DOWN TO IT GETTING SCHEDULED FOR A HOUSE VOTE, UM, AND PASSING OUTTA THE HOUSE. SO WE'LL KEEP AN EYE ON THAT. SB 1660, ANOTHER BILL CARRIED BY SENATOR HUFFMAN. THIS ONE RELATES TO THE RETENTION OF TOXICOLOGY EVIDENCE, PARTICULARLY DWI BLOOD TUBES AND THE FACT THAT WITH SOME QUIRKS IN THE LANGUAGE, WE END UP WITH BLOOD TUBES BEING RETAINED WAY, WAY, WAY PAST WHEN THEY'RE USEFUL AND STICKING AGENCIES WITH EXPENSIVE STORAGE OF THESE TUBES. SO CAN WE DO SOMETHING TO MAKE THAT A LITTLE EASIER? THAT WAS VOTED FAVORABLY FROM SENATE CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND RECOMMENDED TO THE LOCAL AND UNCONTESTED. SO IT'S PASSED OUT OF THE SENATE, UM, AS OF WEDNESDAY AS WELL. UM, AND IT'S RECOMMENDED TO, UH, HOUSE CRIMINAL JURISPRUDENCE. I DON'T THINK IT'S BEEN SCHEDULED FOR A HEARING YET, BUT IT'S MAKING PROGRESS AS WELL. AND THEN HB 1280, WHICH IS REPRESENTATIVE CUNNINGHAM, FILED THIS ONE. THIS IS ATTEMPTING TO MAKE, UH, A BASICALLY A WAIVER FOR THE PRESERVATION OF EVIDENCE THAT WOULD BE HEARD AT THE POINT OF EXONERATION OR I A POINT OF ADJUDICATION OF A CASE. TRYING TO STRIKE THAT DELICATE BALANCE OF, NO, NOBODY WANTS TO DESTROY VITAL EVIDENCE, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO MANAGE THE GIANT PILE OF EVIDENCE THAT CLOGS UP THE SYSTEM, UM, THAT REPORTED FAVORABLY FROM HOUSE CRIMINAL JURISPRUDENCE, UH, THIS LAST WEEK. SO IT'S MAKING PROGRESS AS WELL. QUESTIONS ON THOSE SO FAR? ALRIGHT, SO MY FAVORITE TOPIC, HEMP AND THC, UH, I REALLY, REALLY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN HERE. BUT SB THREE, WHICH IS THE SENATE BILL THAT EFFECTIVELY BANS THC. UM, SO THAT PASSED FROM THE SENATE, IT IS A NEAR TOTAL BAN OF ALL CANNABINOIDS EXCEPT FOR CANNABIDIOL AND CANNABIGEROL. IF THAT WERE TO BE THE VERSION THAT PREVAILS OUT OF THIS, GENERALLY SPEAKING, IT'S EASIER FOR FORENSIC LABORATORIES BECAUSE ALL WE WOULD HAVE TO DO IS DETECT THE PRESENCE OF A CANNABINOID IN ANYTHING. UM, IT AT LEAST GIVES US A CLEAR ANALYTICAL PATHWAY. WHAT WE WOULD BUY EQUIPMENT FOR, WHAT WE WOULD TRAIN PEOPLE FOR. WHAT I CANNOT SAY IS, WOULD THIS MEAN MORE CASES FOR US OR FEWER CASES FOR US? UM, IT MAY BE SIMPLER TESTING, BUT IT COULD MEAN A LOT MORE CASES, WHICH WOULD BE A CHALLENGE FOR US TO DEAL WITH. I DON'T KNOW. BUT THAT'S THE SENATE VERSION OF SB THREE. THE HOUSE TOOK UP SB THREE SIGNIFICANT COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTION, UM, THAT REALLY LOOKS AT THIS AS MORE OF A REGULATORY FRAMEWORK AROUND CANNABINOIDS. IT HAS A SIGNIFICANT FRAMEWORK FOR THE REGULATION OF EDIBLES AND THC INFUSED BEVERAGES. IT EFFECTIVELY BANS HEMP INHALABLE. SO VAPES AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS CAN'T BE A HEMP INHALABLE. AGAIN, FOR FORENSIC LABORATORIES, IT'S A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED FOR US. WE WOULD HAVE TO QUANTITATE DELTA NINE TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL IN MATERIALS. UH, IT DOES MAKE VAPES AT LEAST EASIER. VAPES ARE A PAIN IN THE BUTT. UM, IT GIVES US KIND OF A CLEAR ANALYTICAL PATHWAY. IT'S MORE COMPLICATED, MORE EXPENSIVE, BUT THERE'S AT LEAST A CLEAR PATH. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WOULD DO FOR THE NUMBER OF CASES WE WOULD SEE. AND INTERESTINGLY IN THE HOUSE VERSION 25%. SO, SO THESE HEMP MATERIALS WOULD BE REGULATED UNDER TABC. THERE IS A FEE STRUCTURE FOR LICENSURE FOR SELLING THE MATERIALS. THERE'S A FEE STRUCTURE FOR LICENSING THE PRODUCTS. 25% OF THAT FEES IS ACTUALLY DEDICATED TO FORENSIC LABORATORIES. FIRST TIME I HAVE [00:30:01] EVER SEEN SOMEBODY ACTUALLY THINK OF THE FORENSIC LABS NOW, AS JAMES POINTS OUT LAUGHING AT ME. IT'S LIKE, YOU EXPECT WE'LL EVER SEE THE CHECK OUT OF THAT? I'LL BELIEVE IT WHEN WE SEE THE CHECK. BUT SOMEBODY AT LEAST THOUGHT OF THE FORENSIC LABORATORIES IN THAT FEE STRUCTURE. UM, NOW, WHICH OF THESE TWO VERSIONS IS ACTUALLY GONNA PREVAIL? I CANNOT PREDICT. I'M NOT SURE ANYBODY CAN PREDICT. I THINK THERE IS ENTIRELY POSSIBLE THAT NEITHER WILL PREVAIL. I MEAN, WE'RE GETTING DOWN TO MAY 15TH IS THE DEADLINE FOR SECOND READING IN THE HOUSE. IT'S ENTIRELY POSSIBLE THAT NEITHER WILL GO ANYWHERE. AND WE ARE LEFT EXACTLY WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW. UM, THAT'S ENTIRELY POSSIBLE. I I REALLY CAN'T PREDICT WHAT WE'RE GONNA GET. UM, SO WOULD YOU BE OKAY IF IT WAS LEFT EXACTLY WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW? NOT REALLY, NO. RIGHT NOW IS PROBABLY I, ONE OR THE OTHER OF THESE WOULD BE BETTER THAN WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW. OKAY. UM, RIGHT WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW IS THIS GRAY NOWHERE LAND THAT BOTH FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT, PROSECUTION AND THE LABORATORIES. IT'S, IT'S UNCLEAR WHAT TO DO WITH THE DELTA EIGHT, DELTA 10, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. IT IS UNCLEAR WHAT TO DO WITH A VAPE THAT CONTAINS THC ACID. IS THAT LEGAL OR IS THAT NOT? WE REALLY DON'T HAVE A CLEAR PICTURE OF WHAT WE SHOULD BE ANALYZING FOR. AND I STILL WOULD CONTEND, AS I HAVE FOR SIX YEARS NOW, IT'S IRRESPONSIBLE TO SPEND THE MONEY ON EQUIPMENT AND TRAINING TO DO THIS AT SCALE WHEN WE CAN'T KEEP UP WITH THE PILLS THAT WE KNOW ARE KILLING PEOPLE. UM, UNTIL YOU ALL TELL ME OTHERWISE, I'M GONNA SPEND MONEY ON THOSE PI AND NOT SO MUCH ON THE, BUT THAT DOES CREATE PROBLEMS FOR THE REST OF THE SYSTEM. SO ONE OR THE OTHER OF THESE WOULD AT LEAST BE A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN WHERE WE'RE AT. GOOD. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE LEGISLATIVE STUFF? SO I MENTIONED, UH, LAST BOARD MEETING ABOUT THE KAIGEN STUFF. UH, WE'VE SENT YOU SOME STUFF OF THE LITTLE BIT OF MEDIA THAT HAS COME OUT ABOUT THIS PRODUCT, UM, IN THE NATIONAL MEDIA. AND I THINK WE ALSO SENT YOU THE LINK TO THE PRESENTATION THAT WE MADE AT TEXAS FORENSIC SCIENCE COMMISSION. SO I'VE TOSSED IN HERE KIND OF A SHORTER VERSION OF WHAT COVERED AT TEXAS FORENSIC SCIENCE COMMISSION. AND I ALSO BROUGHT, JUST SO THAT YOU'VE GOT A PICTURE OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THIS IS A BLISTER PACK THAT IS NOT GONNA GO BACK AND GET USED. I'M USING THIS FOR DEMONSTRATION PURPOSES. IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE DON'T PUNCTURE THE SEALS AND DRINK THE POTENTIALLY CAUSTIC REAGENTS WITHIN IT. BUT OTHERWISE IT IS PERFECTLY SAFE. AND SO YOU'VE KIND OF JUST GOT AN IDEA WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. THESE, THESE ARE THE CARTRIDGES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH THIS. ONE OF THESE CARTRIDGES GETS CONSUMED WITH AN INDIVIDUAL ANALYSIS. SO THIS IS PART OF THE DIFFICULT, I CAN'T QC THIS CARTRIDGE. IT'S GONNA GET USED WITH A SAMPLE. ONE OF THESE THINGS COSTS US ABOUT 14 BUCKS. SO, AND IN ABOUT $14 FOR ONE OF THESE. AND IN ANY GIVEN CASE, WE ARE GOING TO USE MULTIPLE OF THESE TO MANY OF THESE. UH, 'CAUSE IT GETS USED ON EACH SAMPLE. BUT THAT'S, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. SO WITHIN THIS, THERE ARE THREE MANUFACTURING ISSUES THAT HAVE OCCURRED. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ONE, AND THE ONE THAT WE'VE SPENT THE MOST TIME ON IS THIS LOW OR NO RECOVERY OF DNA, BECAUSE THE REAGENT THAT IS IN THE 10TH POSITION HERE HAS AN INCORRECT PH IN IT. THE, THE ACID-BASED BALANCE OF IT IS OFF OCCASIONALLY IN OCCASIONAL CARTRIDGES. AND THAT RESULTS IN A LOW RECOVERY OF DNA. IN OTHER WORDS, A POTENTIAL FALSE NEGATIVE. WE MISS A PROFILE. THAT PROFILE COULD BE POTENTIALLY EXONERATING. THAT PROFILE COULD BE POTENTIALLY IMPORTANT FOR INVESTIGATION. IT COULD MEAN THAT WE DON'T SEE A MIXTURE OF PERS OF PEOPLE WHEN THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN THAT KIND OF THING. IT DOESN'T CREATE PROFILES. IT DOESN'T INSERT SOMEBODY ELSE'S PROFILE. IT'S JUST A FALSE NEGATIVE. BUT THAT'S THE MAIN, MAIN MANUFACTURING CHALLENGE THAT HAS REALLY CREATED ALL OF THIS. THERE ARE TWO OTHER MANUFACTURING ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN OBSERVED. WE'VE OBSERVED THEM, OTHER LABORATORIES AROUND THE COUNTRY HAVE OBSERVED THEM THAT THAT BUFFER ENDS UP IN THE WRONG WELL. AND THEN WE'VE ALSO SEEN, SO THE, THE ONE CELL THAT'S THERE THAT'S KIND OF DARKER THAT ARE THESE LITTLE MAGNETIC BEADS THEY'VE SHOWN UP IN THE FIRST WELL, SO CLEARLY VISIBLE MANUFACTURING DEFECT. I DON'T THINK THIS PARTICULAR KIT HAS THOSE. UH, BUT WE'VE SEEN THEM IN OTHER KITS. SO THERE'S THREE SEPARATE MANUFACTURING [00:35:01] ISSUES THAT ARE GOING ON PRINT. ARE THEY ASSOCIATED? WE'VE ASKED. THEY SAY NO. SO YOU CAN'T LOOK AND SEE IF THE, THE BEADS ARE IN THE RIGHT. CAN YOU TURN YOUR MIC ON? OH, SURE. SO YOU CAN'T LOOK AND JUST SEE IF THE BEADS ARE IN THE RIGHT. WELL, AND, AND THEN REAL AND THEN KNOW THAT EVERYTHING ELSE IS FINE. CORRECT. OKAY. YEAH. THE, THE PH ISSUE, YOU CAN'T SEE VISIBLY. WE CAN SEE THE, THE OTHER TWO WE CAN ACTUALLY SEE VISIBLY. SO YOU KNOW, WE DON'T USE THOSE KITS. YEAH. UM, YEAH. SO THAT'S, THOSE ARE THE THREE MANUFACTURING ISSUES. NOW. THERE HAS BEEN AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF WORK AND I THINK BEF ABOVE ALL, BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE. ONE OF THE THINGS TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS IS HOW MUCH WORK OUR BIOLOGY GROUP HAS DONE IN THIS. THE RATHER REMARKABLE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE IN THIS, UM, REALLY INSIGHTFUL, HIGHLY IMPACTFUL THOUGHT PROCESS. CRITICAL THINKING ABOUT THIS. IT'S, WE GOT A BUNCH OF IMPRESSIVE NERDS. I ALSO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO SIGNATURE SCIENCE. UH, LESLIE PARKS AND SAMANTHA WZA WHO RUN THAT SHOP HAVE BEEN, I COULDN'T HAVE ASKED FOR A BETTER COMMERCIAL LABORATORY TO BE WORKING WITH ON THIS. THEY HAVE DUG IN, THEY HAVE DONE AN IMMENSE AMOUNT OF WORK AS WELL ON THIS. THEY HAVE BEEN A FANTASTIC PARTNER TRYING TO FIGURE THIS OUT. BUT THIS JUST KIND OF GENERALLY SPEAKING, WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS THIS IS BOTH SOMETHING THAT WE'VE DETECTED BY THE BLIND PROGRAM HAS GIVEN US A HANDLE ON WHAT'S GOING ON, BUT ALSO LOOKING AT WHAT WE'VE CALLED UNINTUITIVE RESULTS. SO WE'VE GOT BLOOD THAT TYPICALLY BLOOD PRESENTS WITH A LOT OF DNA. SO IF YOU'VE GOT A BLOOD THAT DOESN'T RECOVER DNA, THE, THE SOMETHING'S GOING ON THERE. WHAT'S UP? SO WE'VE LOOKED ACROSS, UH, THIS INITIAL PART THAT REALLY CAUGHT OUR ATTENTION WAS 43 IMPACTED SAMPLES. AND IT HAS BEEN CLEAR. AND THEN AGAIN, WORKING WITH SIG SCI, THIS WAS SOME OF THE INITIAL DATA THAT WE SENT BACK TO QIAGEN TO SAY, HEY GUYS, SOMETHING'S UP HERE. THERE WERE A NUMBER OF LOTS THAT THESE WERE RUN ACROSS. SO WE HAD THESE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT, THESE WERE SAMPLES THAT WERE EXTRACTED ON DIFFERENT DATES BY DIFFERENT ANALYSTS, ON DIFFERENT INSTRUMENTS IN DIFFERENT BATCHES. AND THE ASSOCIATION IS WITH THE LOT OF REAGENT AND LOT F THERE. IT DIDN'T GO UP THROUGH THE NUMBERS. I MEAN I PUT THE LOT NUMBERS OF F LOT THERE, BUT F STICKS OUT BOTH FOR THE BLINDS THAT DIDN'T WORK IN IT AS WELL AS THESE UNINTUITIVE SAMPLES. SOMETHING'S GOING ON WITH F. SO WHEN WE STARTED SEEING THAT, WE PAUSED THE TESTING WITH SIG SCI TILL WE COULD FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON. 'CAUSE WE DIDN'T WANNA MAKE MORE, MORE CASE PROBLEMS WITH IT. AND WE GOT TO A ROOT CAUSE. I WILL GIVE KAIGEN SOME CREDIT THAT THEY DID COME IN AND WORK WITH SIG SCI, BUT SIG SCI SET UP AND RAN THROUGH 340 SAMPLES. THEY DID BLOOD AND SEMEN SAMPLES. SO WE'RE LOOKING, IS THIS SOMETHING TO DO WITH INTERFERENCES IN A PARTICULAR MATRIX? THEY DID DILUTIONS. ARE THERE THINGS ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF DNA THAT WERE CREATING ISSUES DIFFERENT? LOTS OF THE DNA INVESTIGATOR KIT. THERE WERE SAMPLES THAT CAME TO US THAT SIG SITE ALSO TESTED SO THAT WE COULD SEE WAS THERE SOMETHING SPECIFIC THAT WE COULD RELATE TO THE LABORATORY. WE ALSO WENT THROUGH CLIENT SERVICES. HAD A LOT OF WORK IN THIS. PULLED OUT 87 PAST BLINDS. SO THESE ARE MATERIALS THAT WE MADE THAT WE KNOW HAVE A GROUND TRUTH. WE MADE THEM WITH AN INTENDED RESULT AND SENT THOSE TO SIG SCI TO RETEST OUT OF THOSE 87. SO THESE ARE ALL CON CONSTRUCTED AS BASICALLY A TRACE SAMPLE. IT'S LOW LEVEL DNA. YOU EXPECT TO NOT HAVE A POSITIVE SOMETIMES. BUT OUT OF THOSE 87, ALL BUT THREE PERFORMED AS WE EXPECTED. UM, SO YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT FINDING AN ISSUE WITH STAFF INSTRUMENTS, ANY OF THOSE THINGS. IT WAS RELATED TO BATCHES OF REAGENT. PRETTY CONCLUSIVELY. SO WE HAVE CONSTRUCTED A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT QUALITY CONTROL MEASURES THAT WE'VE AGREED TO WITH SIGNATURE SCIENCE. ONCE WE'VE GOT THOSE IN PLACE, WE HAVE NOW RESTARTED TESTING WITH SIGNATURE SCIENCE. 'CAUSE WE CAN'T JUST STOP TESTING, BUT WE'VE GOT ADDITIONAL QUALITY ASSURANCE MEASURES IN PLACE TO LOOK FOR IF WE'VE GOT THIS ISSUE GOING FORWARD. SO WE'RE BACK TESTING OTHER THINGS WE ARE DOING. AND THIS WILL, WE WILL, WE'LL SEE, WE MAY HAVE TO TALK ABOUT BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS OF THIS, PROCUREMENT IMPLICATIONS OF THIS, BUT WE ARE EVALUATING OTHER NON CARTRIDGE BASED WAYS OF DOING THIS. I CAN'T CONTROL THESE CARTRIDGES. AND WE'RE HAVING DIFFICULTY TRUSTING THE QUALITY OF THESE CARTRIDGES. SO MOVING AWAY FROM THESE CARTRIDGES, UM, THAT WILL MEAN VALIDATION COSTS. THAT WILL MEAN CHANGES IN PROCESS. [00:40:01] THERE'S A LOT OF COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. AND WE THINK WE'VE GOT SOME OPTIONS ON WHERE WE COULD HEAD WITH THAT. THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO BASICALLY QC A RESERVOIR OF REAGENT THAT WE QUALITY CONTROL IT. SO WE KNOW THAT RESERVOIR REAGENT WORKS APPROPRIATELY. SO EVERYTHING THAT COMES OUT OF IT WOULD HAVE GREATER CONFIDENCE. YOU LOOK LIKE YOU'VE GOT A QUESTION. WELL, YEAH. I MEAN, SO THAT'S A LOT MORE WORK. A TON OF MORE WORK. YES. AND SO WHAT'S BEEN GIN'S RESPONSE? ARE THEY TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS? NO. MODEST. HUH? UM, THEY'VE REPLACED WHAT THEY REFER TO AS AFFECTED LOTS. BUT I THINK, I THINK THIS IS THE SLIDE THAT I ALSO HAVE THIS ON HERE. OH, IT'S THE NEXT SLIDE. WE ARE DOING A LOT MORE QUALITY CONTROL AND LABORATORIES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. WE'LL HAVE TO DO A LOT MORE QUALITY CONTROL AND BEAR THE COST OF THAT QUALITY CONTROL BECAUSE WE CAN'T BE CONFIDENT IN THE QUALITY CONTROL THAT THEY'RE DOING. I MEAN, WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO? YEAH, THAT JUST SORT OF SURPRISES ME. YEAH. THAT THERE'S THAT UNRESPONSIVE. YEAH, IT'S DISAPPOINTING. MM-HMM . UM, BUT LIKE I SAY, WE HAVE, AT LEAST WE'VE MET WITH KAIGEN A NUMBER OF TIMES. I'VE PILED OTHER NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THESE MEETINGS WITH KAIGEN. KAIGEN DID SEND OUT A NORTH AMERICAN WIDE NOTIFICATION LETTER OF WHAT THEY THINK ARE IMPACTED LOTS. BUT EVEN THERE WE'VE GOT SOME QUESTION MARKS BECAUSE IN THEIR LIST OF IMPACTED LOTS, THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE LOT THAT IS LOT F. SO, UM, WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO EVALUATE LOTS MM-HMM . MM-HMM . UM, WE'VE DONE DISCLOSURES TO HARRIS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEYS. THEY HAVE DONE THEIR BRADY NOTICES TO AFFECTED CASES. WE FOCUSED ON THE TIMELINE THAT KAYA AND SET FORTH IN THEIR LETTER, WHICH WAS FROM FEBRUARY OF 2024 TO OCTOBER OF 2024. NOW OCTOBER OF 2024, THEY DID SEND OUT THAT THEY CHANGED THEIR MANUFACTURING PROCESS WHERE THEY THINK THEY HAVE ALLEVIATED THAT BAT AND LOTS THAT WE HAVE TESTED AFTER THAT SEEMED TO BEHAVE APPROPRIATELY. AND ON THE LAST SLIDE, I'LL TALK SOME ABOUT HOW WE THINK BEFORE THAT TIMEFRAME. WE HAVE GOOD CONFIDENCE. BUT YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S WHY WE'VE PICKED THAT TIMEFRAME. UM, AND YOU KNOW, WHAT WE ARE DOING OUT OF THAT, IT WILL NOW BE A CASE BY CASE THING. AND THIS IS ANOTHER THING THAT LABS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY ARE JUST GONNA HAVE TO BEAR THE COST OF THIS, INCLUDING US, OF EVALUATING POTENTIALLY IMPACTED CASES, DISCUSSING THAT THROUGH WITH THE PROSECUTORS AND DEFENSE IN THOSE CASES OF IS THERE STILL EVIDENCE THAT CAN BE TESTED? IS IT THE APPROPRIATE USE OF RESOURCES TO RETEST THAT? IS IT GONNA MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE CASE? AND IT'S JUST A CASE BY CASE THING. SO THERE IS A HUGE AUDIT EFFORT THAT WE'LL HAVE TO GO THROUGH ON THIS. THE GROUP HAS BEEN FANTASTIC IN DOING THIS. UM, AND WE WILL RETEST IMPACTED CASES, UM, SINCE WE'RE, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC MEETING HERE. IF YOU'VE GOT AN IMPACTED CASE YOU THINK, TALK TO US AND WE'LL TRY AND FIGURE IT OUT. BUT THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT WE GOTTA DO. UM, NOW WE'VE USED EASY ONE, EASY TWO FOR ABOUT 15 YEARS. UM, WE HAVE 15 YEARS WORTH OF INTERNAL QUALITY CHECKS, PERFORMANCE CHECKS, PROFICIENCY TESTS, BLIND QUALITY CONTROLS AND SAMPLES THAT WE HAVE USED ON THAT. WE HAVE GONE THROUGH ALL OF THAT DATA. AGAIN, THIS IS AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF WORK THAT QUALITY AND BIOLOGY HAVE DONE ON TOP OF EVERYTHING ELSE. WE DON'T SEE ANY TRENDS OR INDICATORS OUT OF ALL OF THAT DATA THAT MAKE US QUESTION THE RESULTS PRIOR TO THIS. UM, EVERYTHING'S WORKED AS WE EXPECT. SO WE, WE, WE DON'T HAVE ANY REASON TO QUESTION PRIOR TO THAT TIMEFRAME. IT ALL LINES UP. I CAN'T SAY CONCLUSIVELY NO. BUT EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE GOT, AND WE'VE GOT A LOT OF DATA THERE TO HELP SUPPORT WHY WE'VE CUT IT OFF. WE CUT IT OFF AT JANUARY OF 2024, IS WHERE WE HAVE BASICALLY BEEN LOOKING AT AND NOTIFYING. UM, BUT WE WORK REALLY HARD TO PRESERVE AT LEAST HALF OF THE EVIDENCE. SO THERE IS SOMETHING TO RETEST. SO LARGELY THERE IS SOMETHING THAT REMAINS NOT IN ALL CASES. AND A LOT OF THESE ARE LOW LEVEL DNA, SO YOU KNOW, THERE'S A RISK THERE. BUT AGAIN, THE WAY WE MANAGE THIS, WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE INFORMATION ON ALL OF THESE SAMPLES BECAUSE OF HOW WE MANAGE TO LIMIT BIAS. SO [00:45:01] IF YOU'VE GOT A CASE THAT YOU THINK MIGHT BE AFFECTED, WE NEED TO TALK AND WE'LL WORK THROUGH IT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS I CAN ANSWER ON THIS? JUST WONDERING, SO GIVEN THAT THE, AS I'M UNDERSTANDING IT, THE, THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS NOW AFTER OCTOBER OF 2024 SEEMS TO BE GOOD. YES. SO IS IT WORTH THE EFFORT TO THEN START KIND OF RETOOLING TO USE THIS NON CARTRIDGE APPROACH IN THE LAB? THE MANUFACTURING CHANGED IN OCTOBER. THAT SEEMS TO HAVE FIXED THE PH ISSUE, BUT KITS THAT THEY HAVE REPLACED THAT WERE MANUFACTURED POST OCTOBER HAVE HAD THINGS LIKE THE MAG BEADS IN THE WRONG WELL, SO, WHICH YOU CAN SEE, RIGHT? SO IT'S NOT LIKE THEY ARE DEFECT FREE MM-HMM . AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S TO SAY? THERE'S NOT ANOTHER FAIRLY CATASTROPHIC MANUFACTURING FAILURE IN THE FUTURE THAT THEN WE ARE AGAIN ABSORBING THE COST OF CLEANING UP. YEAH. YEAH. SO NO, EVERYTHING WE DO IS, IS RISK. UH, BUT YES, IT'S, IT'S BEEN A CHALLENGE. NOW, I WILL ALSO SAY THERE ARE THREE MANUFACTURERS OF DNA REAGENTS IN THE WORLD. AND RIGHT NOW, TWO OF THEM HAVE MANUFACTURING PROBLEMS. MM-HMM . OUTTA CURIOSITY, WHO DOESN'T, UH, THERMO FISHER AT THE MOMENT THAT WE KNOW OF? OKAY, SO, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS IS, THIS IS A REALITY FOR FORENSIC COLLABORATORS. YOU'VE HEARD ME TALK ABOUT THIS BEFORE. MANY OF THE THINGS WE USE IN MANY DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES, THERE'S ONE OR TWO MANUFACTURERS IN THE WORLD. AND IF THEY'VE GOT A PROBLEM, WE'VE ALL GOT A PROBLEM. AND IT, WE ARE VERY VULNERABLE TO THESE THINGS. SO THIS IS PART OF WHY WE HAVE TO ABSORB THE COST OF MORE QUALITY CONTROL, MORE AUDIT WORK, AND WE HAVE TO BE POSITIONED TO BE ABLE TO DO IT BECAUSE WE'RE THE ONES THAT END UP HAVING TO DO THE NOTICES, DO THE CLEANUP, DO THE TESTIMONY, ARE THE FRONT END OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF IT. I ALWAYS SO MUCH FUN WHEN YOU SAY THAT, BUT AS DO THE OTHER FORENSIC SCIENCE PROGRAMS AROUND THE COUNTRY. CORRECT. OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I KNOW I'M A LOT OF FUN. I, I USUALLY SEEMS LIKE MOST TIMES I PRESENT SOMETHING WE KINDA GET TO THIS POINT. EVERYBODY STARING THERE QUIETLY GOING, HUH? YEAH, NO, AND I, WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY IS I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT FOR SOMEONE LIKE MYSELF WHO CERTAINLY ISN'T A SCIENTIST, YOU CAN QUOTE DUMB IT DOWN TO WHERE I CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. AND YOU KNOW, IT HAS A LOT OF REPERCUSSIONS. YES, IT DOES. IT REALLY DOES. IT DOES. AND THANK YOU. I I, PLEASE, PLEASE KEEP IT IN THE FRONT. THIS, THIS IS AMAZING WORK BY OUR PEOPLE. THEY'RE THE ONES THAT SPOTTED THIS. IT'S THEIR CRITICAL THINKING, THEIR THEIR WILLINGNESS TO DEAL WITH THESE QUALITY SYSTEMS THAT SPOTTED THIS. IT'S, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT HAVE POINTED THIS OUT. AND ACTUALLY THE, THE NPR, THE JOURNALIST WHO WAS INTERVIEWING ME FOR THE NPR ARTICLE, HE GOT IT. HE IS LIKE, SO YOUR REWARD FOR FINDING THIS IS THE COST AND AGONY OF HAVING TO FIX IT. YEP. THAT'S OUR REWARD FOR IT. BUT IF I CAN COMMENT, KUDOS FOR OUR QUALITY SYSTEM TESTING. YES. AND, AND FIGURING THIS OUT AND BEING THAT SUPER DETECTIVE THAT, THAT FOUND THIS REALLY CRITICAL PIECE THAT COULD HAVE ENDED UP IN SO MANY MORE FALSE PROSECUTIONS AND THE THINGS THAT, THAT WE ABHOR THAT, UH, ARE NOT DONE. RIGHT. SO THAT'S PRETTY AWESOME. THAT NO, IT'S, IT YOU HAVE THAT, THAT RECOGNITION, THAT HONOR OF THAT. THANK YOU. I'M POINTING TO YOU AS YOU KNOW, YOU'RE . HAVE YOU COMPLETED YOUR POINT? YEP. UNLESS THERE'S ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. OTHER S QUESTION. YES, MA'AM. UH, PETER DID YOU, DID I MISS THIS? BUT DID YOU SAY THERE, OKAY, SO THERE'S ONLY THREE MANUFACTURERS MM-HMM . YEP. THAT DEAL WITH THE WHOLE WORLD. YEP. HOLY, THANK YOU. . YES. SEE, YOU DIDN'T MISS IT. DIDN'T MISS IT. I JUST NEED A CLARIFICATION. I'M JUST, OH MY GOD. YES. SO DOES THAT MEAN THAT THESE EFFECTIVE BATCHES LITERALLY COULD HAVE BEEN SENT ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD? AND THIS IS A PRODUCT [00:50:01] THAT IS WIDELY USED. MOST LABORATORIES USE THIS. DO WE KNOW WHERE THEY'RE BEING MANUFACTURED? THEY'RE MANUFACTURED IN GERMANY. OKAY. ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES, GO AHEAD, . I'M SORRY. I CAN'T, I CAN'T WRAP MY, MY NO HEAD AROUND THIS. UM, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT I NEED TO TELL THE NETWORK ABOUT? YES. THEY, THEY, THEY LARGELY ALREADY KNOW. I MEAN, I'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS WITH, I'M SURE. YEAH. BUT I, I JUST, I FEEL LIKE THERE SHOULD BE A, A, A LOUDER, UM, A BROADER, UH, NOTIFICATION GOING OUT. SOME OF THE DIFFICULTY WITH, BECAUSE THIS IS A FALSE NEGATIVE KIND OF SITUATION. IT'S SUBTLE, IT'S DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND. UM, AND IT'S HIGHLY TECHNICAL. I, I GET WHY THIS DOESN'T NECESSARILY JUST GRAB. UM, AND IT'S, IT'S ALSO A DELICATE BALANCE OF WE HAVE NO REASON TO QUESTION A PROFILE THAT WE GOT. THIS DOESN'T AFFECT THAT. SO THE, THE, THE CONCERN NEEDS TO BE APPROPRIATELY TEMPERED WITH THIS. YEAH, IT'S A BIG DEAL, BUT IT'S ALSO NOT A DEAL THAT AFFECTS EVERYTHING. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY. THANK YOU DR. STOUT. AND, UH, WE WILL PROCEED ONTO AGENDA ITEM NINE, DR. STOUT COMPANY GOALS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN. UH, SO THIS IS THE GOALS FOR THE NEXT CYCLE OF OUR, UM, CORPORATE WIDE EVALUATION. OH, WE HAVE MORE THAT YOU NEEDED TO. WELL, I WAS SUPPOSED TO DO AN INTRODUCTION ABOUT THAT. OKAY. DID I INTRODUCE IT ENOUGH THAT YOU HEAR, GIMME THE SCRIPT AND I, YOU COULD TAKE A GLASS OF WATER OR SOMETHING AND I CAN GO ON . ALL RIGHT. UM, MEMBERS, IN ADDITION TO DR. STOUT'S REPORT, HE WILL PRESENT THE CORPORATE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR THE COMING YEAR, WHICH NOW COINCIDES WITH THE ORGANIZATION FISCAL YEAR. WE'RE AT A POINT IN OUR ANNUAL BOARD SCHEDULE WHERE WE LOOK AT THE COMPANY'S PROGRESS FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR AND SET GOALS FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR. TODAY, DR. STOUT WILL PRESENT HIS PROPOSED CORPORATE PRIORITIES AND GOALS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026. AT THE CONCLUSION OF HIS PRESENTATION, WE WILL VOTE TO ACCEPT THESE GOALS OR MODIFY THEM IF THE BOARD DECIDES THAT ACTION IS APPROPRIATE. THE APPROVED GOALS WILL BECOME PART OF DR. STOUT'S EVALUATION IN 2026. IN OUR UPCOMING MEETINGS, WE WILL BEGIN TO LOOK AT THE COMPANY'S PERFORMANCE FROM THE PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR 2025. SO THAT INFORMATION WILL NOT BE PRESENTED IN DETAIL TODAY. NOW, DR. STOUT, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. ALRIGHTY. SO REMEMBER, AND WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS NOW QUITE A FEW YEARS. WE HAVE THREE LEVELS OF GOALS. WE'VE GOT A CORPORATE LEVEL GOAL THAT APPLIES TO EVERYBODY. WE HAVE GOALS THAT ARE WITHIN THE INDIVIDUAL SECTIONS OF ALL OF THE BUSINESS UNITS WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION, TECHNICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE ALIKE. AND THEN WE'VE GOT GOALS THAT ARE INDIVIDUAL. AND THERE'S VARIOUS WEIGHTINGS OF THOSE DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU'RE AT. SO IF YOU ARE AN ANALYST AT THE BENCH, YOUR PERSONAL GOALS MAKE UP MORE OF YOUR OVERALL EVALUATION THAN THE CORPORATE GOALS. BUT YOU STILL HAVE A TIE TO THE CORPORATE GOALS. SO TRYING TO GET EVERYBODY THAT BALANCE OF WHAT THEY CAN IMPACT, BUT ALSO UNDERSTANDING THAT WE'RE ALL IN THE SAME BOAT TOGETHER. SO THESE ARE AT THE COMPANY LEVEL GOALS AND REMEMBER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. SO, GOALS ONE AND TWO ARE A PRODUCTION GOAL AND A QUALITY GOAL. AND REALLY WHAT WE DO AT THE CORPORATE LEVEL IS AMY AND THE SENIOR TEAM WORK WITH THE MANAGERS IN THE INDIVIDUAL SECTIONS FOR THE SECTION TO ESTABLISH WHAT IS GONNA BE THEIR PRODUCTION GOAL AND THEIR QUALITY GOAL. AND THE CORPORATE LEVEL GOAL HAS TO DO WITH HOW MANY OF THOSE SECTIONS MEET THEIR STATED GOALS. SO GOAL ONE IS THE PRODUCTION LEVEL ONE, AND YOU CAN SEE THE BREAKOUT THAT IF EVERYBODY MAKES IT, WE'LL GET AN A PLUS IF NINE OR FEWER, WELL, LET'S NOT TALK ABOUT THAT 'CAUSE THAT'LL BE BAD. UM, BUT BOTH THE PRODUCTION AND QUALITY GOALS. SO THOSE ARE GOALS ONE AND TWO. UM, GOAL THREE IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THIS YEAR THAN WHAT WE HAVE DONE PREVIOUSLY. WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY TALKED ABOUT TURNOVER RATES. AND IT HAS OCCURRED TO US THAT REALLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS WE WANT ANALYSTS TO STAY WITH US. SO LET'S MAKE THE GOAL MORE, THE POSITIVE VERSION OF THAT AND LOOK AT TENURE. SO TARGETING AN AVERAGE CORPORATE WIDE TENURE OF FOUR AND A HALF TO FIVE YEARS. REMEMBER WE ARE AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS NOW NOT QUITE 11 YEARS OLD. UM, BUT TARGETING THAT AS THE, THE TENURE GOAL. SO [00:55:01] AN A PLUS WOULD BE IF WE'VE GOT AN AVERAGE TENURE ACROSS THE ENTIRE ORGANIZATION OF 5.1 YEARS OR MORE. QUESTION SO FAR? OKAY. 'CAUSE THE LAST GOAL IS PROBABLY THE ONE THAT IS THE, THE NEWEST FOR THIS YEAR. AND OOPS, PUT IT HERE SO I CAN READ IT. 'CAUSE CLEARLY NONE OF US CAN READ IT ON THE SCREEN OVER THERE. UM, WE HAVE MENTIONED ABOUT THE STATE DISCOVERY PORTAL THAT WAS CREATED LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION, UM, AS A MECHANISM TO PROVI MAKE ENSURE THAT LABORATORY RECORDS ARE AVAILABLE TO EVERYBODY THAT'S INVOLVED IN THE CASE. UM, BUT IT ALSO MEANS WE NEED TO LOOK MORE AGGRESSIVELY AND SPECIFICALLY AT OUR RECORDS MANAGEMENT PROCESSES. AND KEEP IN MIND WE MAKE A LOT OF RECORDS. REALLY THAT'S WHAT WE DO IS WE MAKE RECORDS. UM, SO THIS GOAL IS AROUND LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR OUR RECORDS MANAGEMENT. UM, WE HAVE A RECORDS MANAGEMENT OFFICER WHO'S ALSO OUR PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER. AND IN THIS FIRST YEAR IS REALLY LOOKING AT WHAT WE NEED TO DO OVER THE COMING YEARS. UM, BUT THIS WILL INCLUDE TRAINING STAFF IN HOW WE WILL DEAL WITH STUFF IN THE COMING YEARS AND LOOKING AT ALL OF THE CATEGORIES IN OUR ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY. I MEAN, WE'VE GOT POLICIES AROUND THIS, BUT ARE OUR POLICIES COVERING EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED? UM, WHAT POLICIES DO WE REALLY NEED TO STILL ESTABLISH TRAINING MANUALS THAT NEED TO ESTABLISH TRAINING PROGRAMS THAT WE NEED TO ESTABLISH, BUT GIVING OURSELVES A YEAR TO REALLY MAP THIS OUT. AND THAT'S REALLY THE GOAL. AND THEN LOOKING AT KIND OF AS AQUILA HAS PUT IT, THE LOW HANGING FRUIT FRUIT. AND THIS ALL FALLS LARGELY UNDER AQUILAS AUSPICE. SO IF YOU'VE GOT QUESTIONS WE CAN ASK AKILA, UM, SHE ALWAYS SITS HERE QUIETLY AVOIDING THE QUESTIONS AND LEAVING ME TO ANSWER 'EM. SHE CAN ANSWER 'EM THIS TIME. UH, BUT LOOKING AT THE RECORDS THAT ARE KIND OF EASIER TO HANDLE IN THIS FIRST YEAR WHILE WE LEARN ALL OF THE THINGS FOR THE MORE COMPLICATED RECORDS. SO ARE THERE QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS? SO FOR THE, THE, BASICALLY THE LAB TESTING AND EVERYTHING, YOU HAVE SORT OF A LIMB SYSTEM IN PLACE ALREADY? YES. YES. SO THEN THIS COULD BE INCORPORATED THE LIMB SYSTEM , THAT IS ONE OF THE SYSTEMS THAT IS INCORPORATED INTO THIS. YES. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? QUESTION EASY ENOUGH? I THINK I'M DONE. I BEAT EVERYBODY TO DEATH WITH THE BIOLOGY STUFF. SO IF THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, WE'LL NOW HAVE A VOICE VOTE TO APPROVE THE ANNUAL CORPORATE PRIORITIES AND GOALS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026. PLEASE UNMUTE YOUR MICS. DO YOU HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED? SO MOVED. THANK YOU. SECOND. SECOND. THANK YOU. UM, AT THIS TIME WE'LL HAVE A VOICE VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. A AYE. ALL. ANYONE OPPOSED? AYES CARRY. MOTION CARRIES. WE'RE GOING NOW PROCEED ON TO AGENDA ITEM 10. REPORT FROM MRS. JACQUELINE MORRELL, QUALITY DIRECTOR, INCLUDING AN OVERVIEW OF THE BLIND QUALITY CONTROL PROGRAM, UPDATES ON QUALITY AND TESTIMONY METRICS. I'M NOT SURE WHAT I JUST READ, BUT YOU'LL EXPLAIN IT TO US. I'LL EXPLAIN IT. NO WORRIES. . THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. OKAY, CLICKER'S ON. SO GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. UM, JUST GIVE THEM YEAH, NO WORRIES. NO RUSH. . HOW'S EVERYONE? YEAH, ALL GOOD? NOPE, IT'S FINE. OKAY. WELL GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. SO AS MENTIONED, UM, I'M GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT QUALITY UPDATES, GIVING YOU A LITTLE BIT OF AN OVERVIEW OF OUR INTERNAL AUDITS AND OUR ASSESSMENTS THAT ARE SCHEDULED FOR THIS YEAR. AND AN UPDATE ON DISCLOSURES, UM, THAT WERE PART OF THE TFSS MEETING, QUARTERLY MEETING. SO FOR MY FIRST, I HAVE GOOD NEWS. WE ACTUALLY HAD A PUBLICATION PUBLISHED, UH, RECENTLY AS IN LIKE LAST MONTH. UM, IN THE JOURNAL OF FORENSIC SCIENCES THAT TALKS ABOUT THE HAWTHORNE EFFECT AND STUDIES OF FIREARM AND TOOLMARK EXAMINERS. UH, THIS WAS A COLLABORATION, UM, WITH, UM, WITH DR. STOUT, OUR FIREARMS MANAGER, UM, MS. DONNA OLEY AND TWO QUALITY SPECIALISTS, UM, MS. MADDIE NEWMAN AND CALL HUNDEL. UH, THEY COLLABORATED WITH TWO ACADEMICS AND UM, I GUESS I'LL HAVE TO DESCRIBE THIS ARTICLE A LITTLE BIT MORE LIKE [01:00:01] EXPLORATORY IN NATURE. UM, SO THE FIREARMS DISCIPLINE HAS THREE TYPES OF CONCLUSIONS. THEY HAVE ELIMINATION, IDENTIFICATION AND INCONCLUSIVE. SO THIS ARTICLE FOCUSED AND INCONCLUSIVES AND THE HAWTHORNE EFFECT, WHICH IS A PHENOMENON THAT WAS LIKE OBSERVED AND DISCOVERED AS, AS PART OF A STUDY WHERE THEY SAW THAT HUMANS ALTER THEIR BEHAVIOR ONCE THEY KNOW THEY'RE BEING OBSERVED OR STUDIED. AND, UH, SO THIS ARTICLE WAS KIND OF LOOKING AT WHEN EXAMINERS DISCOVERED, WHEN THERE WERE ANALYZING A CASE THAT THIS CASE WAS A BLIND, DID THAT INFLUENCE ON THEIR CONCLUSIONS OF THEM CONCLUDING, UM, OR GOING WITH INCONCLUSIVES, RIGHT? SO AGAIN, IT WAS MORE PHILOSOPHICAL AND LIKE KIND OF BASING THIS UNBIAS. AND WHILE THERE ARE OTHER FACTORS OF AT PLAY, IN ADDITION TO THE HAWTHORNE EFFECT, RIGHT? WE AS MENTIONED, WE HAVE TO CREATE SAMPLES TO MIMIC REAL CASEWORK. SO WE DO HAVE TO DAMAGE THEM IN ORDER FOR THEM TO LOOK LIKE THEY WERE PRI OUT OF SHEET ROCK OR WHATNOT. UM, THERE'S ALSO THAT QUESTION AS WELL OF LIKE, DID THE DAMAGE INCURRED, YOU KNOW, ALTERED THE MARKINGS AND WHATNOT? SO AGAIN, IT WAS EXPLORATORY IN NATURE AND UH, THEY USED OUR DATA FROM THE PREVIOUS PUBLICATION, UM, IN 2022 FOR THE BLIND TESTING OF FIREARMS PAPER, WHICH HAD THE SAME AUTHORS. SO MOVING ON INTO MORE INTERNAL NEWS, WE ARE ALMOST WRAPPING UP OUR INTERNAL AUDIT SEASON. WE COMPLETED MULTIMEDIA TOXICOLOGY SECTION INTERNAL AUDIT IN THE MONTH OF MARCH. AND IN APRIL WE DID CRIME SCENE FIREARMS AND LADEN PRINTS. UH, THIS MONTH WE'RE FOCUSING, AND WE JUST STARTED THIS WEEK, UH, THE FORENSIC BIOLOGY SECTION. AND THAT IS SET TO BE FOR THREE WEEKS 'CAUSE THEY'RE JUST A VERY BIG SECTION. A LOT OF PEOPLE IN VERY, UM, DIFFERENT ANALYTICAL WORKFLOWS. AND THEN NEXT WEEK OUR PLAN IS TO START SEIZE DRUGS AND WRAP IT UP IN A WEEK. SO AT THE END OF MAY, OUR GOAL IS TO WRAP UP THE INTERNAL AUDIT SEASON FOR OUR 17 0 2 5 PROGRAM AND HAVE THAT READY FOR OUR JULY ASSESSMENT, WHICH THAT'S KIND OF, I'LL COVER THAT IN MY NEXT SLIDE. AS YOU CAN SEE, I ALSO INCLUDED IN THE SLIDES, UH, THE NUMBER OF NON-CONFORMANCES IDENTIFIED PER SECTION AS WELL AS OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENTS. NOW, OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENTS ARE DON'T RISE TO THE LEVEL OR CATEGORIZED AS NON-CONFORMANCES. UH, THERE ARE MORE AREAS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED THAT WHILE THEY MIGHT BE CONFORMING TODAY, UH, UM, WE COULD FORESEE THIS BECOMING, IF THE SECTIONS DON'T REMEDIATE THEM, WE COULD FORESEE THIS BECOMING NON-CONFORMANCES. SO, UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT A AND A B ANNOTATES ON THEIR AUDIT REPORTS. AND THEN WE FOLLOW SUIT AND WE DO THAT AS WELL BECAUSE WE RATHER, WE WANNA KIND OF BE PREVENTIVE THAN REACTIVE, RIGHT? WE'D RATHER HANDLE IT AT THE FRONT END. AND, UM, THAT KIND OF SEGUES INTO MY NEXT TOPIC, WHICH IS WHAT A AND A B CALLS A SURVEILLANCE ASSESSMENT WITHOUT WITNESSING, WHICH IS A BIG MOUTHFUL, BUT IT BASICALLY IS A DESK AUDIT, RIGHT? IT'S A REMOTE AUDIT WHERE WITH WHERE WE ONLY, I ONLY WORK WITH ONE LEAD ASSESSOR AND THEY ONLY AUDIT US TO 17 ACCREDITATION REQUIREMENTS. SO IT'S NOT AS EXTENSIVE AS A REASSESSMENT. SO WE KIND OF GET A LITTLE BIT OF A BREAK BECAUSE NEXT YEAR WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE FULL REASSESSMENT. WE'RE ALL OVER SECTIONS. AND QUALITY SYSTEM WILL GET AUDITED THIS YEAR. THEY'RE GONNA BE LOOKING MORE GLOBALLY OR LAB WIDE. THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE, UM, FOCUSING ON ONE SECTION. AND THAT'S WHY THERE'S NO WITNESSING, RIGHT? BECAUSE THERE'S NO TECHNICAL PROCESSES TO OBSERVE. UH, KIND OF GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF A DIFFERENT ACCREDITATION REQUIREMENTS THEY'RE GONNA BE FOCUSING ON. THEY'RE LIKE MORE GLOBAL. THEY'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT OUR INTERNAL AUDITS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DID HAVE WITNESSING, THEY'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT OUR REPORT OR MANAGEMENT REVIEW THAT I TALKED ABOUT IN LAST MEETING. THEY'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT OUR PERFORMANCE MONITORING PROGRAM TO ENSURE THAT ALL AUTHORIZED FORENSIC PRACTITIONERS HAVE SATISFACTORY, COMPLETED A PROFICIENCY TEST. UM, RIGHT. AND I KIND OF MENTIONED WE ALSO HAVE OTHER TOOLS IN THE PERFORMANCE MONITORING PROGRAM LIKE BLINDS AND WHATNOT THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT MIGHT ALSO BE COVERED. BUT AGAIN, JUST VERY HIGH LEVEL. AND THIS IS GOING TO BE CONDUCTED DURING THE WEEK OF JULY 7TH THROUGH THE 11TH. AND IT'S JUST GONNA BE A VERY BUSY WEEK BECAUSE THAT IS COMPANY MEETING AND BOARD MEETING. SO, ANYWAYS, IT'S GONNA BE A LOT. AND THE CLOSEOUT MEETING IS SCHEDULED AFTER THE BOARD MEETING ON JULY 11TH. SO I WILL GIVE YOU, TRY TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE BEFORE, BEFORE IT, YOU KNOW, IT FINALIZES. AND THEN I'M JUST GONNA LEAVE FOR THE WEEKEND RIGHT AFTER BECAUSE IT'S, UM, FOLLOWING ALONG ON MY LAST TOPIC AS MENTIONED, WE, I KIND OF BIG TALKED A LITTLE ABOUT THIS DISCLOSURES IN THE LAST MEETING, BUT THEY WERE ON THE AGENDA AT THE LAST QUARTERLY MEETING FOR TFSC, WHICH WAS ON APRIL 11TH. AND JUST TO KIND OF GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A BACKGROUND IN CASE YOU WEREN'T HERE LAST MEETING, WE HAD A DISCLOSURE IN THE FORENSIC BIOLOGY SECTION THAT WAS RELATED TO OUR BLIND PROGRAM. UH, TWO BLIND QUALITY CONTROL SAMPLES WERE ERRONEOUSLY OR ACCIDENTALLY [01:05:01] UPLOADED INTO CODIS. AND WHILE WE WERE ABLE TO REMOVE THE PROFILES, THEY DID, UH, RESULT IN HITS THAT THANKFULLY THEY DIDN'T AFFECT ANY ONGOING INVESTIGATIONS. 'CAUSE ONE WAS JUST TO A-A-D-N-A PROFILE, LIKE FROM A LAB. AND THE OTHER ONE WAS ALREADY A CLOSED OUT CASE. SO, I MEAN, WE WERE VERY THANKFUL. IT DIDN'T AFFECT, UM, WE DID HAVE TO DO INTERNAL MEASURES AND, AND CHANGES IN ORDER TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. IT JUST, IT'S JUST THAT THE SECTION KIND OF TRANSITIONED INTO MORE ELECTRONIC FORMAT. SO WE HAVE UPDATED THAT IN ORDER FOR US TO KNOW WHEN THESE ARE BLINDS AND THEY DON'T NEED TO BE ACCIDENTALLY. SO WE, WE DON'T HAVE THIS HAPPEN AGAIN. AND AS I MENTIONED IN THE COMPANY MEETING WE HAVE, WE'RE NO LONGER USING THOSE, THAT BLOOD SAMPLE. AND, UM, SO WE WORKED WITH THE FORENSIC BIOLOGY TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING. THE OTHER ONE WAS IN HER CRIME SCENE SECTION. AND THIS WAS REGARDING A CSI TRAINEE THAT CONDUCTED, UH, UNSUPERVISED CASEWORK. THEY PROCEEDED AND DID, UH, LATE IN PRINT PROCESSING AND A GUN MAGAZINE AND COMPARATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY THAT DIDN'T MATCH OR QUALITY CONTROL, UM, STANDARDS. AND THIS WAS DONE WITHOUT PERMISSION OR THE SUPERVISION OF ANY FIELD TRAINER, OFFICER, UH, FIELD TRAINING OFFICER YET. AND, AND THEIR SUPERVISOR, WHICH WERE PRESENT AT THE TIME. SO, UH, THE COMMISSION REVIEWED BOTH OF THESE DISCLOSURES AND THEY VOTED TO TAKE NO FURTHER ACTION NEEDED. UH, MEANING THAT THEY REVIEWED OR ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS AND THE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS IMPLEMENTED AND THEY AGREED THAT, UM, THAT THEY WERE SATISFACTORY IN PREVENTING THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. SO WITH THAT, THAT WAS MY LAST TOPIC. ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? JUST CURIOUS WHY THE, UM, CSI TRAINING THOUGHT, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S HE OR SHE COULD GO, COULD DO AN MM-HMM . A CONDUCT AN UNSUPERVISED CASE WORK. I MEAN, WHAT WE WERE NOT ABLE TO INTERVIEW THE PERSON TO ASCERTAIN MORE OF THE PRECISE ROOT CAUSES TO THE REASON WHY. UM, SO I CAN'T ANSWER. THAT'S FINE. BUT I, I KNOW THAT IT WAS THE, THE PROCESSING IS IN A DIFFERENT FLOOR OKAY. THAN WHAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE AREAS ARE. SO IT'S, THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES. WAS THERE ANY, UH, ANY KIND OF REPERCUSSIONS WHEN THE TRAINEE CONDUCTED THIS UNSUPERVISED CASE WORK? THE, YEAH, TRAIN THE TRAIN. NO LONGER EMPLOYED. THEY'RE, THEY'RE LONGER EMPLOYED WITH US. I WAS GONNA ASK WHY COULDN'T YOU ASK? OKAY. JUST CHECK. NO, NO CLARIFICATION. I COVERED THAT ON THE LAST ONE AND I REMOVED IT AND I DID PONDER, BUT NO, THAT, I THINK THAT WAS JUST WEIRD. EV EVERYTHING POINTS AT IT WAS, UM, AN UNFORTUNATE PERSONAL DECISION AND THEY'RE NO LONGER EMPLOYED WITH US, BUT IT'S BETTER TO CATCH IT AT THE, YOU KNOW, RATHER THAN FIVE YEARS LATER. SO, YEAH. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NOPE. I'M THANKFUL I DIDN'T PRESENT ON KAIGEN. SO, . ALRIGHT. THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. WE'LL NOW HAVE A VICE VOTE TO APPROVE THE ANNUAL CORPORATE PRIORITIES AND GOALS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR. UN UNMUTE YOU UNMUTE YOUR MICS, PLEASE. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED? VOTE? I'M SORRY. OH, WE TOOK THAT ONE. SORRY. I APOLOGIZE. I'M YES. NO, I SEE. SORRY I GOT CARRIED AWAY. UM, NO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD. YEAH. CALLING FOR A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT. ANYBODY MOVED TO AJOUR? SO MOVED. , ARE THEY SO RIVETED? YOU DON'T YOU WANNA CONTINUE HERE? IS THERE ANYONE YOU MOVE? I SECOND IT. I SECOND IT. OKAY. SECOND OR THIRD OR WHATEVER. . OKAY. UM, I HEARD A MOTION TO APPROVE TO AND A SECOND. PLEASE UNMUTE YOUR MICS AGAIN AND WE'LL TAKE A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED SAY NAY. AYES CARRY AND WE ARE ADJOURNED. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. IT'S GOOD. GOOD MEETING. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.