NEW IBERIA, La. (AP) — Facing drastic cuts, Acadiana Crime Lab pins hope on state study.

The lab, located in New Iberia, serves an eight-parish region including Lafayette. The Advocate reports the lab has tapped out its savings after years of deficits and is avoiding cuts this year only with the help of a special $800,000 appropriation from the state Legislature.

Crime lab Director Kevin Ardoin began sounding the alarm over the budget issue in late 2013, and the Legislature formed a task force last year to study the issue.

The task force, which is expected to make its formal recommendations later this month to the Legislature, also has discussed raising some court costs and working with judges throughout the Acadiana region to ensure court costs are being collected.

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Information from: The Advocate, http://theadvocate.com

 

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