State Announces Funding to Establish Evidence Kit Tracking System

January 28, 2025

The Shapiro administration this week announced $2.5 million to support a new statewide sexual assault evidence kit tracking system.

“As leaders, we need to do everything we can to help victims feel safe and whole again,” said Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis. “If a victim is able to summon the strength to go through the process of getting a sexual assault examination and file a police report, they deserve to know their rape kit is being handled with care and attention, that their case is a priority.”

Here’s what you need to know:

• About:  The new funding follows the passage of a bill last year requiring the establishment of an electronic statewide sexual assault evidence tracking system.
• Why it matters:  The new tracking system will enable survivors to monitor the status of their rape kits throughout the testing process. It also is part of a larger effort to reduce the backlog of processing for these kits.
• What’s next?:  The funds will be used to establish the new tracking system and support training and technical assistance provided to rape crisis programs, hospitals, law enforcement, and other key stakeholders.
  • Some of the funding also will help establish a state-level multidisciplinary team to build on collaborative efforts related to sexual assault evidence collection and other system-wide reforms.
• Quotable:  “This system provides survivors with transparency and accountability as well as advances Pennsylvania as a leader in supporting sexual assault survivors,” said Gabriella Romeo, Public Policy Director for Pennsylvania Coalition to Advance Respect.” 

HAP applauds the ongoing efforts to establish the new sexual assault kit tracking system. HAP—in partnership with the Pennsylvania Coalition to Advance Respect—supported the passage of House Bill 2032, which required the state police to issue a report on establishing the new tracking system in Pennsylvania. It also preserved the right for an assault victim to remain anonymous when seeking care through a forensic rape exam while still having the evidence of that assault collected, preserved, and tested.

Additional information about this week’s announcement is available online.