September 2026
The Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) for Forensic Science's Standards Bulletin provides a monthly update on forensic science standards moving through the OSAC Registry approval process and the development process at standards developing organizations (SDOs).
OSAC Registry Updates
New Standards Added to the Registry
The following 14 SDO-published standards have been added to the OSAC Registry (effective September 1, 2026):
ASB:
- ANSI/ASB Standard 079, Standard for Training in the Use of Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), 1st Edition, 2026.
- ANSI/ASB Standard 080, Standard for Training to Perform Forensic DNA Reporting and Review, 1st Edition, 2026.
- ANSI/ASB Standard 091, Standard for Training in Analysis of Forensic Short Tandem Repeat (STR) Data, 1st Edition, 2026.
- ANSI/ASB Standard 136, Forensic Laboratory Standard for Prevention, Monitoring, and Mitigation of Human DNA Contamination, 1st Edition, 2026.
- ASB Technical Report 151, Medicolegal Death Investigation: Terms and Definitions, 1st Edition, 2025.
- NOTE: This is the SDO-published version of OSAC 2022-N-0026, Medicolegal Death Investigation: Terms and Definitions, and will replace it on the Registry. OSAC 2022-N-0026 will be moved to the Registry archive.
- ANSI/ASB Best Practice Recommendation 193, Best Practice Recommendations for Determining What Scene and Death Locations a Medicolegal Death Investigation Authority Responds to for an Investigation, 1st Edition, 2025.
- NOTE: This is the SDO-published version of OSAC 2022-N-0027, Medicolegal Death Investigation Response to Death Locations and Incident Scenes: Best Practice Recommendations, and will replace it on the Registry. OSAC 2022-N-0027 will be moved to the Registry archive.
- ANSI/ASB Standard 202, Standard for Interactions Between Medical Examiner, Coroner and All Other Medicolegal Death Investigation Agencies and Organ and Tissue Procurement Organizations and Eye Banks, 1st Edition, 2025.
- NOTE: This is the SDO-published version of OSAC 2023-N-0004, Standard for Interactions Between Medical Examiner Coroner and All Other Medicolegal Death Investigation Agencies and Organ and Tissue Procurement Organizations and Eye Banks, and will replace it on the Registry. OSAC 2023-N-0004 will be moved to the Registry archive.
ASTM:
- ANSI/ASTM E2881-25 Standard Test Method for Extraction and Derivatization of Vegetable Oils and Fats from Fire Debris and Liquid Samples with Analysis by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry.
- ANSI/ASTM E2997-25 Standard Test Method for Analysis of Biodiesel Products by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry.
- ANSI/ASTM E2998-25a Standard Practice for Characterization and Classification of Smokeless Powder.
- ANSI/ASTM E2999-25a Standard Test Method for Analysis of Organic Compounds in Smokeless Powder by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy.
- ANSI/ASTM E3345-26 Standard Practice for Opinions on the Interpretation of Primer Gunshot Residue (pGSR) Analysis by Scanning Electron Microscopy/Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectrometry (SEM/EDS).
- ANSI/ASTM E3405-26 Standard Practice for Forensic Fiber Training Program.
- NOTE: This is the SDO-published version of OSAC 2022-N-0018, Standard Practice for a Forensic Fiber Training Program, and will replace it on the Registry. OSAC 2022-N-0018 will be moved to the Registry archive.
- ANSI/ASTM E3450-26 Standard Practice for Physical Fit Analysis Training Program.
- NOTE: This is the SDO-published version of OSAC 2023-N-0011, Standard Practice for a Physical Fit Analysis Training Program, and will replace it on the Registry. OSAC 2023-N-0011 will be moved to the Registry archive.
Visit the OSAC Registry to view the 262 forensic science standards currently available.
Standards Open for Comment
Open for Comment at OSAC
There are no standards currently open for comment at OSAC.
Open for Comment at SDOs
The following SDOs are accepting public comments on documents:
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Academy Standards Board (ASB) has five documents open for public comment in the areas of medicolegal death investigation (comment deadline September 7), forensic anthropology (comment deadline September 21), scene investigation and reconstruction (comment deadline September 21), bloodstain pattern analysis (comment deadline October 12), and human forensic biology (comment deadline October 12).
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American Dental Association (ADA) has one document open for comment on human identification by comparative dental analysis (revision of 1088-20xx) (comment deadline September 14, 2026).
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ASTM has nine documents open for comment in the areas of digital/multimedia evidence, facial and iris identification, ignitable liquids and explosives, gunshot residue, and seized drugs (all with a comment deadline of September 28).
Visit OSAC's Standards Open for Comment webpage to access these documents, as well as the instructions and deadlines for comment submissions.
SDO Updates
New Published Standards
The following standards have recently been published by ASTM.
Work Proposals for New or Revised Standards
A Project Initiation Notification (PINS) was published in the August 28, 2026 ANSI Standards Action, which will begin ASB's work on the following standard.
- ASB Standard 111-202x, Standard for Training in Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) Analysis for Taxonomic Identification (revision of ANSI/ASB 111-20). This standard provides requirements for training in animal taxonomic identification based on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequencing, data analysis, and reporting within the trainee’s forensic DNA laboratory.
For Withdrawal
- ANSI/ASB Standard 140, Standard for Training in Forensic Human Mitochondrial DNA Analysis, Interpretation, Comparison, Statistical Evaluation, and Reporting, 1st Edition, 2021. ASB is accepting comments for withdrawal of this standard until October 12, 2026. See the ASB website for the comment template and instructions.
Other Forensic Science Standards-Related News & Events
RaDAR Program
NIST’s Rapid Drug Analysis and Research (RaDAR) lab provides near real-time insight into the nation’s illicit drug landscape. By analyzing drug samples sent from local, state, and federal partners, the lab identifies new compounds appearing in the illegal drug supply that may pose a health and safety threat to users, public health workers and law enforcement.
Check out the July 2026 RaDAR Newsletter to see the recent findings.
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The final "Demystifying ISO 21043" webinar is on September 10!
Join Pam Sale, ANAB Vice President, Forensics for an introduction to ISO 21043-5 (Reporting). During this 30-minute webinar, she’ll provide an overview of Part 5, talk about how it was developed, and discuss how and where this standard may fit into forensic operations across the U.S.
Missed the first webinars? Watch the previous parts of the Demystifying ISO series on-demand through AAFS Connect. They’re free to watch—simply create a free AAFS account to gain access.
- Webinar 1: Introduction and Overview
- Webinar 2: Parts 1, 2, and 3: Vocabulary; Recognition, Recording, Collecting, Transport and Storage of Items, and Analysis
- Webinar 3: Part 4: Interpretation
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Participate in ASTM E30 Forensic Sciences Committee
ASTM International’s Committee E30 on Forensic Sciences is actively seeking increased participation from the Consumer (e.g., regulatory bodies and judicial systems) and Producers (e.g., manufacturers of kits, equipment, or provider of services to forensics science service providers) interest categories.
Individuals who are interested in becoming an E30 member are invited to contact James Morgan (jmorgan@astm.org), ASTM’s E30 staff manager, or join via the ASTM website.
Upcoming Events
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FSSB Quarterly Meeting, September 2-3, 2026, Dulles, VA.
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National Forensic Science Week, September 20-26, 2026.
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Mid-Atlantic Association of Forensic Scientists (MAAFS) and Northeastern Association of Forensic Scientists (NEAFS) Joint Meeting, October 5-9, 2026, Pocono Mountains, PA.
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Association of Forensic Quality Assurance Managers (AFQAM) Annual Training Conference, October 13-16, 2026, Kansas City, MO.
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National Association of Forensic Science Boards (NAFSB) Annual Conference, October 13-15, 2026, Milwaukee, WI.
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International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Annual Conference and Exhibition, October 24-27, Orlando, FL.
Missed any of our previous issues? Check them out here:
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