Kits to help ID children who go missing to be given out by schools, under Pennsylvania bill

Under the measure, schools would be required to distribute free kits to first-grade students by Nov. 15 of each school year.

Associated Press

June 28, 2023

The Capital Building in Harrisburg, Pa. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)

Families of first-grade students in Pennsylvania would be supplied with identification kits that could help assist police investigations if the children ever go missing, under a bill passed by the state Senate on Tuesday.

The bill passed 34-15 and now goes on to the state House for consideration.

Under the measure, schools would be required to distribute free kits — which include materials for fingerprinting, DNA collection and more — to first-grade students by Nov. 15 each school year.

The information would not be included in any state or national database, sponsors said.

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The program would start next school year. Funding for the program is dependent on what the Legislature earmarks for it. With about 118,000 first-graders in the state, sponsors estimate it could cost a total of $350,000 annually for the kits.

Parents would be able to complete the kits and store them privately. They could turn them over to help law enforcement if their child were to go missing.

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