California has enacted new legislation expanding its Missing Persons DNA Program, which previously restricted DNA database use to identifying deceased individuals. Under the revised framework, law enforcement agencies may now utilize the database to identify unknown living persons as well, providing a broader investigative resource for missing persons cases. Governor Gavin Newsom signed the measure into law last month.

The expansion aims to strengthen investigators' capacity to solve long-standing cases and provide families with answers. The practical application is illustrated by the Michelle Collier case, in which DNA technology identified a teenager nearly fifty years after she vanished, with her remains having been discovered in a vineyard. The legislative change reflects a shift toward leveraging modern forensic capabilities to address historical gaps in missing persons investigations.