In a joint letter, the Democratic co-chairs of the Appropriations Committee and the Committee's lead Republican members have directed Public Safety Commissioner Anne Jordan to develop a plan to eliminate the backlog at the state crime lab.
Sen. Bill Diamond, a Windham Democrat who co-chairs the committee, says the backlog has persisted for too long.
"That backlog's been going on now for several years, she's now proposing that the director position be brought to less than full-time, so if that's the case, how are we going to deal with the backlog?" he says. "Now, the backlog really is evidence, it's hard evidence sitting there in the closet."
Diamond says in an agency as large as the Department of Public Safety, he does not believe there are too few resources to address an issue the Legislature has made a priority -- the investigation and prosecution of child sex offenders. Diamond says the panel is tired of excuses, and wants answers.