tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post3145507104160400469..comments2024-03-25T20:06:39.794-05:00Comments on Grits for Breakfast: Hays County will save money eschewing 'free' DPS crime lab services, paying AustinGritsforbreakfasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-34100616806532822852012-12-19T05:43:14.583-06:002012-12-19T05:43:14.583-06:00Texas Criminal Code Sec. 38.35 (a) (5) (c) A law e...Texas Criminal Code Sec. 38.35 (a) (5) (c) A law enforcement agency, other governmental agency, or private entity performing a forensic analysis of physical evidence may require the requesting law enforcement agency to pay a fee for such analysis.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-35559202265527124602012-12-19T05:21:14.783-06:002012-12-19T05:21:14.783-06:00My understanding is that DPS is already authorized...My understanding is that DPS is already authorized by statute to charge for their laboratory services. They have just never done it. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-23810164216033992662012-12-18T12:47:42.729-06:002012-12-18T12:47:42.729-06:008:15 here.
Fee-for-service doesn't require ...8:15 here. <br /><br />Fee-for-service doesn't require cost-recovery. Private labs are fee-for-service, but they are for-profit. I.e., they charge more than the cost for the service. <br /><br />My understanding is that counties can run fee-for-service labs in Texas, but they can't run them for profit. It has something to do with it being illegal under state law for a taxing unit of government to give away its property, money, etc. I'm not sure what the precise statute is.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-3244699668908814512012-12-18T11:55:45.641-06:002012-12-18T11:55:45.641-06:00Excellent idea. Is a bill ready for introduction? ...Excellent idea. Is a bill ready for introduction? This Is something that deserves to be brought up this session.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-48277654764039810092012-12-18T08:22:45.718-06:002012-12-18T08:22:45.718-06:00Will correct, thanks. And btw, isn't "cos...Will correct, thanks. And btw, isn't "cost recovery" the same as "fee for service," as in the labs charge enough to recover their costs?Gritsforbreakfasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-22577856873173294082012-12-18T08:15:44.643-06:002012-12-18T08:15:44.643-06:00A small correction.
The lab in Dallas is not a ...A small correction. <br /><br />The lab in Dallas is not a private fee-for-service laboratory as indicated in the post. It is a county-run, public laboratory. The model used in Dallas County is the same as in Bexar County. In both, the county-run lab performs work for investigating agencies, prosecutors, defense attorneys, private citizens, etc., under a cost-recovery model. The price of a service covers the cost incurred by the county in providing that service. Tarrant County operates similarly. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com