(a) Whenever a law-enforcement agency seizes or recovers a firearm that was unlawfully possessed, used for any unlawful purpose, recovered from the scene of a crime, is reasonably believed to have been used or associated with the commission of a crime, or is acquired by the agency as an abandoned or discarded firearm, the agency shall:
(1) Transmit and receive information relating to that firearm with the National Crime Information Center System;
(2) Transmit and receive information relating to that firearm to the United States Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives E-Trace System; and
(3) Arrange for every such firearm to be test-fired as soon as may be practicable and the results of that test-firing be forthwith submitted to the National Integrated Ballistics Identification Network to determine whether the firearm is associated or related to a crime, criminal event, or any individual associated or related to a crime or criminal event or reasonably believed to be associated or related to a crime or criminal event.
(b) Whenever a law-enforcement agency recovers any spent shell casing at a crime scene or has reason to believe that the recovered spent shell casing is related to or associated with the commission of a crime or the unlawful discharge of a firearm, the agency shall, as soon as may be practicable, submit the ballistics information to the National Integrated Ballistics Identification Network.
(c) The Department of Safety and Homeland Security, in cooperation with the Department of Justice, shall develop and promulgate a statewide standard protocol for the recovery and forensic processing of firearms and firearm-related evidence where such firearm was unlawfully possessed, used for any unlawful purpose, recovered from the scene of a crime, or reasonably believed to have been used or associated with the commission of a crime.
