Z-0908.2  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 3037

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State of Washington      56th Legislature     2000 Regular Session

By Representatives Romero and D. Schmidt; by request of Washington State Patrol

Read first time 01/26/2000.  Referred to Committee on State Government.

Modifying missing persons record retention policies.

    AN ACT Relating to missing persons record retention policies; and amending RCW 68.50.320.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

    Sec. 1.  RCW 68.50.320 and 1984 c 17 s 18 are each amended to read as follows:

    When a person reported missing has not been found within thirty days of the report, the sheriff, chief of police, county coroner or county medical examiner, or other law enforcement authority initiating and conducting the investigation for the missing person shall ask the missing person's family or next of kin to give written consent to contact the dentist or dentists of the missing person and request the person's dental records.

    When a person reported missing has not been found within thirty days, the sheriff, chief of police, or other law enforcement authority initiating and conducting the investigation for the missing person shall confer with the county coroner or medical examiner prior to the preparation of a missing person's report.  After conferring with the coroner or medical examiner, the sheriff, chief of police, or other law enforcement authority shall submit a missing person's report and the dental records received under this section to the dental identification system of the state patrol identification, child abuse, vulnerable adult abuse, and criminal history section on forms supplied by the state patrol for such purpose.

    When a person reported missing has been found, the sheriff, chief of police, coroner or medical examiner, or other law enforcement authority shall report such information to the state patrol.  ((The dental identification system shall then erase all records with respect to such person.))

    The dental identification system shall maintain a file of information regarding persons reported to it as missing ((and who have not been reported found)).  The file shall contain the information referred to in this section and such other information as the state patrol finds relevant to assist in the location of a missing person.

    The files of the dental identification system shall, upon request, be made available to law enforcement agencies attempting to locate missing persons.

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