To permit grant funds to be used to identify unidentified human remains without regard as to whether the manner of death is determined to be a homicide.
The Cold Case Modernization Act allows federal grant money to be used to identify unidentified human remains regardless of how the person died, removing previous restrictions that limited funding to cases involving homicides. Currently, grants under Jennifer's Law and other Department of Justice programs can only be applied to homicide cases, but this bill expands eligibility to include deaths from accidents, natural causes, and other circumstances. The legislation affects law enforcement agencies and coroners who investigate unidentified remains, potentially helping solve more missing persons cases and provide closure to families. No specific new funding amounts or timelines are established in the bill; rather, it modifies how existing federal grant money can be used. This change would allow resources to be directed toward forensic genetic genealogy and identification efforts for a broader range of deceased individuals.
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