CFSO News—Carla Walker Act Update and Call to Action

The Carla Walker Act regarding Forensic Genetic Genealogy (FGG) forensic laboratory testing resources is nearing passage in the Senate. We are urging each forensic science practitioner to call your Senators and ask them to support this important legislation. 

The Carla Walker Act has been placed on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for consideration on May 14. If it passes out of committee, the bill should move to the floor of the Senate for a vote and then on to the House. The Consortium of Forensic Science Organizations (CFSO) is an original author of this bill to provide funding for outsourcing of FGG technology to private accredited forensic science laboratories as well as grants to procure FGG technology for "in-house" purposes at publicly funded forensic science laboratories. While there is still work to do before this bill becomes law, this is a significant first step. 

Information about this bill can be found on our website (http://thecfso.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Summary-Senate-bill-Carla-Walker.docx). We will continue to add more information to our website about this bill as it becomes available.