New York recently pass a bill stating that remains that have not been identified must be entered into NamUS. Currently, I have been trying to get PA to introduce similar language, but my local Senator and the Governor have not contacted me back.
Below, I will post a copy of what I have sent out. I urge everyone here to contact their own officials, namely your state representatives and state senators, and try to press them to adopt similar bills, to bring closure to families. Please let me know if you need help finding contact information for your area, as it varies by location.
"Recently, the senate of New York passed a bill regarding unidentified
human remains that I hope you or someone in PA will strongly consider
passing as well, A10278A. Nationwide, approximately 4,400 unidentified
humans are handled annually by coroners, nearly a quarter of which
remain unidentified after one year, according to Sen. Diane Savino's
bill. It is estimated that only 15% of unidentified remains are reported
to federal databases.
In the modern age of the internet and mass transit, it is easier to
solve crimes and give names to bodies, even across state lines. However,
in order to do so, they must be entered into the national database to
allow the ruling out of matches via DNA and other methods. Many families
have found closure due to advancements in technology. The possibility of
even a few matches and bringing healing to people make this worthwhile.
The bill simply requires county medical examiners and coroners who
receive unidentified human remains to report identifying information
about those remains to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System.
The bill I am referencing can be located at
http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?de...e Votes=Y&Floor Votes=Y&Memo=Y&Text=Y
Please contact me back, and hopefully you will consider pushing a bill
like this forward for the state of PA."
Below, I will post a copy of what I have sent out. I urge everyone here to contact their own officials, namely your state representatives and state senators, and try to press them to adopt similar bills, to bring closure to families. Please let me know if you need help finding contact information for your area, as it varies by location.
"Recently, the senate of New York passed a bill regarding unidentified
human remains that I hope you or someone in PA will strongly consider
passing as well, A10278A. Nationwide, approximately 4,400 unidentified
humans are handled annually by coroners, nearly a quarter of which
remain unidentified after one year, according to Sen. Diane Savino's
bill. It is estimated that only 15% of unidentified remains are reported
to federal databases.
In the modern age of the internet and mass transit, it is easier to
solve crimes and give names to bodies, even across state lines. However,
in order to do so, they must be entered into the national database to
allow the ruling out of matches via DNA and other methods. Many families
have found closure due to advancements in technology. The possibility of
even a few matches and bringing healing to people make this worthwhile.
The bill simply requires county medical examiners and coroners who
receive unidentified human remains to report identifying information
about those remains to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System.
The bill I am referencing can be located at
http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?de...e Votes=Y&Floor Votes=Y&Memo=Y&Text=Y
Please contact me back, and hopefully you will consider pushing a bill
like this forward for the state of PA."
