Senate agrees to Langerholc’s bill to create a rape tracking kit

On Wednesday, the House of Representatives unanimously approved a bill sponsored by state Sen. Wayne Langerholc Jr. R-Cambria, to establish a statewide system for tracking evidence from rape kits.

Senate Bill 920, now headed to the governor’s desk, allows survivors to track the status of their rape kits throughout the testing process, from collection to destruction. With this legislation, Pennsylvania will join 35 states and the District of Columbia that have already implemented canola kit tracking systems.

“Senate Bill 920 reinforces our commitment to empowering survivors and holding criminals accountable,” Langerholc said. “Pennsylvania’s creation of a rape kit tracking system will enable sexual assault survivors to monitor the status of their kits during an investigation, ensuring transparency and accountability in the process.”

In addition to creating a rape kit tracking system, Senate Bill 920 brings Pennsylvania into compliance with the rape kit backlog fairness provisions included in the recent reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act.

To comply with VAWA, the bill provides an exemption for survivors who submit timely claims for compensation due to delays in rape kit testing.

Survivors will not have to go through an appeals process to have this waiver considered.

Senate Bill 920 also empowers survivors by clarifying existing rights and establishing new statutory rights for survivors of sexual violence.