A Senate committee took a small step Wednesday toward creating a tracking system statewide for rape kits.

Sen. Mike Crider (R-Greenfield) says his bill  is step one of a two-step process that will better track Indiana rape kits. He says a comprehensive tracking system is important in part to help empower victims.

“So that she knows what step in the process her kit is,” Crider says. “So that she can go in and look and see, contact the law enforcement agency, and say, ‘Where’s my kit? What’s going on with it?’”

The legislation will prompt outside experts to study rape kit tracking systems and recommend a model Indiana can use. Crider says that report will conclude before the end of the year – so that he can return in the 2019, budget-writing session with legislation to create the tracking system and pay for it.

A 2017 review found about 2,500 rape kits across Indiana that are untested for unknown reasons.