BILL REQ. #:  H-4380.1 

Read first time 01/23/2004.   Referred to Committee on Criminal Justice & Corrections.

     AN ACT Relating to missing person reports; creating new sections; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that there is no uniform way amongst police agencies across the state for taking reports on missing persons. Federal and state statutes require local law enforcement agencies to immediately take missing person reports for children and then file and enter that information into the state missing person computerized network after notification of a missing child. However, there is no such consistent policy or requirement for cases involving missing adults.
     Some law enforcement agencies impose waiting periods of up to seventy-two hours before accepting a missing adult report, others will only take a report if it is filed by a relative, and still others will simply decline to take a report if there are no signs that the missing person is endangered or if the person happens to live or disappear from outside of their jurisdiction.
     The legislature believes that, at a minimum, a written or electronic report should be initiated for all reports of missing persons made to law enforcement agencies across the state.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   The Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs shall conduct a study on the practice of taking missing person reports by law enforcement agencies in Washington. The study shall:
     (1) Determine the feasibility and costs to local law enforcement agencies for taking telephonic recordings of missing person reports;
     (2) Identify ways to eliminate waiting periods for law enforcement officers to take a report;
     (3) Identify a way to track and enter information from such reports into a state data base;
     (4) Identify ways to more rapidly identify human remains;
     (5) Identify ways for more rapid prosecution of those convicted of harming or kidnapping a missing person;
     (6) Identify what is currently in state and federal statutes regarding how to handle missing person reports;
     (7) Identify whether local law enforcement agencies show any consistency of compliance to current statutes; and
     (8) Make recommendations on how to improve how missing persons are reported, how missing reports are handled, how missing persons are identified, and how human remains of missing persons are identified and handled.
     The study shall be submitted to the governor and legislature by December 1, 2004.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately.