|
REFERENCE TITLE: missing; kidnapped children; reporting requirements |
|
State of Arizona Senate Fifty-seventh Legislature Second Regular Session 2026
|
|
SB 1416 |
|
|
|
Introduced by Senator Bolick
|
AN ACT
amending section 8-901, arizona revised statutes; relating to missing children reporting.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Section 8-901, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
8-901. Missing or kidnapped children; mandatory reporting; training
A. A law enforcement agency that receives a report of a missing, or kidnapped or runaway child shall do all of the following:
1. Within two hours after receiving the report and all necessary and available information, submit the following information to the Arizona crime information center, the national crime information center computer networks and the national center for missing and unidentified persons system exploited children:
(a) The name, date of birth, sex, race, height, weight and eye and hair color of the child.
(b) A recent photograph of the child, if available.
(c) (b) The date and location of the last known contact with the child.
(d) (c) The category under which the child is reported missing.
2. Within two hours after receiving the report and all necessary and available information, submit to the national center for missing and exploited children a recent photograph of the child. The law enforcement agency shall make reasonable efforts to obtain a recent photograph of the child.
3. Within twenty-forty hours after receiving the report, provide to all local media outlets and post to social media platforms:
(a) All of the following information regarding the child and, if known, the child's abductor:
(i) A complete physical description of the child and, if known, the child's abductor.
(ii) The last known location of the child or, if known, the child's abductor.
(iii) A description of the clothing the child or, if known, the child's abductor was last known to be wearing.
(iv) A description of any vehicle that may be involved with the child's disappearance.
(v) Current photographs of the child and, if available, the child's abductor.
(b) The law enforcement agency telephone number.
(c) Information regarding any offered rewards.
2. 4. Not later than thirty days after the original entry of the record, verify and update the record with any additional information, including, where available, medical and dental records and a photograph taken during the previous one hundred eighty days.
3. 5. Institute or assist with appropriate search and investigative procedures.
4. 6. Maintain a close liaison with state and local child welfare systems and the national center for missing and exploited children for the exchange of information and technical assistance in the missing child case.
5. 7. Grant permission to the national crime information center terminal contractor for this state to update the missing child record in the national crime information center computer networks with additional information that is learned during the investigation and that relates to the missing child.
B. A law enforcement agency that receives a report of a missing, kidnapped or runaway child who is in the foster care system shall notify the national center for missing and exploited children in addition to the entities listed in subsection A of this section.
C. B. An entry may not be removed from any database or system until the child is found or the case is closed.
c. Each law enforcement agency in this state shall do both of the following:
1. Develop, implement and regularly update training criteria regarding the requirements of this section. the training shall be comprehensive and shall create a solid foundation of knowledge regarding the legal criteria and processes required by this section.
2. Conduct training on the provisions of this section for all employees of the law enforcement agency, at the time of hire and biannually, who have direct involvement in missing children cases, including the supervisors of these employees and communication dispatchers. The training shall include a review of any department and state policies regarding locating missing or abducted children. The training shall be comprehensive and shall create a solid foundation of knowledge regarding the legal criteria and processes required by this section.