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ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES57th Legislature, 2nd Regular Session |
Senate: PS DPA 7-0-0-0 | Third Read 29-0-1-0-0House: JUD DP 9-0-0-1 |
SB 1416: missing; kidnapped children; reporting requirements
Sponsor: Senator Bolick, LD 2
Caucus & COW
Overview
Amends the information law enforcement agencies must send to specific entities after receiving a report of a missing, kidnapped or runaway (disappeared) child and provides guidelines directing how, and timeframes within which, that information must be sent.
History
Law enforcement agencies who receive a report of a disappeared child are mandated to report certain information to specific entities. Within two hours after receiving the report, agencies are mandated to provide the Arizona Crime Information Center, the National Crime Information Center Computer Network and the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System the following information:
1. the name, date of birth, sex, race, height, weight and eye and hair color of the child;
2. a recent photograph of the child, if available;
3. the date and location of the last known contact with the child; and
4. the category under which the child is reported missing (A.R.S. § 8-901).
Within 30 days of the original entry of the record, agencies are required to verify and update the record with any additional information, including medical and dental records and a photograph taken during the previous one hundred eighty days. If the child is in the foster care system, agencies must also notify the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (A.R.S. § 8-901).
Agencies are also required to develop, implement and regularly update training criteria regarding the Seek and Find Alert notification system, including a biannual training for all employees of a law enforcement agency who have direct involvement in missing persons cases (A.R.S. § 41-1728).
Provisions
1. Removes the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System from the list of entities that must be provided information by a law enforcement agency within 2 hours of receiving a report of a disappeared child. (Sec. 1)
2. Removes a recent photograph of the child from the list of information that must be provided by law enforcement to specific entities within 2 hours of receiving a report of a disappeared child. (Sec. 1)
3. Removes the requirement for a law enforcement agency to notify the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children if the disappeared child was in the foster care system. (Sec. 1)
4. Requires a law enforcement agency, within 24 hours of receiving a report of a missing child, to provide the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children a recent photograph of the child, the name, date of birth, sex, race, height, weight and eye and hair color of the child and the category under which the child is reported missing. (Sec. 1)
5. Requires a law enforcement agency, within 24 hours of receiving a report of a disappeared child, to provide media outlets with and post on official media platforms all of the following:
a. a complete physical description of the child;
b. the last known location of the child;
c. a description of the clothing the child was last known to be wearing;
d. current photographs of the child; and
e. the law enforcement agency telephone number. (Sec. 1)
6. Stipulates that a law enforcement agency may not provide the aforementioned information to media outlets if it determines that the information would interfere with locating a child or would compromise the safety of a child. (Sec. 1)
7. Stipulates that no information provided to media outlets by law enforcement may characterize a child as a runaway child unless the law enforcement agency determines that it is necessary to protect the child’s safety. (Sec. 1)
8. Requires a law enforcement agency, within 30 days after receiving the report of a disappeared child, to enter in the National Missing and Unidentified Persons system all required and available information. (Sec 1)
9. Directs every law enforcement agency in Arizona to:
a. Develop and regularly update training criteria regarding the requirements outlined in this Act; and
b. Conduct training on the requirements outlined in this Act for all employees who have direct involvement in missing children's cases, at the time of hire and once every two years thereafter. (Sec. 1)
10. Changes the time-period in which all law enforcement agencies in Arizona must conduct seek and find alert notification training from biannually to once every two years. (Sec. 2)
11. Makes technical and conforming changes. (Sec. 1, 2)
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15. Initials NM/NP SB 1416
16. 3/26/2026 Page 0 Caucus & COW
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