Title: An act relating to missing persons.

Brief Description: Modifying missing persons provisions.

Sponsors: By Senate Committee on Judiciary (originally sponsored by Senators Hatfield, Brandland, Sheldon and Delvin).

Brief History:

Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness: 2/22/07 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House: 3/30/07, 94-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY & EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 7 members: Representatives O'Brien, Chair; Hurst, Vice Chair; Pearson, Ranking Minority Member; Ross, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Ahern, Goodman and Lovick.

Staff: Yvonne Walker (786-7841).

Background:

The Washington State Patrol (WSP) operates a Missing Children Clearinghouse that assists in local law enforcement efforts in locating missing children. Generally, after a report is taken regarding a missing child, local law enforcement agencies must file an official missing person report and enter biographical information into the state's missing person computerized network within 12 hours.

In 2006, the Legislature enacted legislation that required the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC) to create and maintain a statewide public website for the posting of relevant information regarding both missing adults and children. In addition, the act requires the Washington Association of County Officials to convene a group of various entities to study ways and develop protocols to improve the reporting and investigation of missing persons.

Training.
Training Modules for use of Missing Persons Protocols: In 2006, 2SHB 2805 was enacted that required the Washington State Forensic Investigations Council, in cooperation with the Washington Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners, and other agencies, to develop training modules for the implementation and use of missing persons protocols. Funds provided in the state's Death Investigations Account may be used for developing the training modules. The training modules provide training through classes and media that train and educate small police departments or those at remote locations with the least disruption. The modules include but are not limited to such items as the reporting process, the use of forms and protocols, the effective use of resources, the collection and importance of evidence and preservation of biological evidence, and risk assessments of the individuals reported missing.

Missing Persons Website.
The WASPC maintains a statewide public website for the posting of relevant information concerning persons reported missing in Washington. The website contains but is not limited to, the missing person's name, physical description, photograph, and other relevant information. The website allows citizens to broadly disseminate information regarding missing persons for at least 30 days. However, due to the large number of reports received on persons who are overdue and subsequently appear, the information must be removed from the website after 30 days, unless persons filing the report have notified local law enforcement that the person is still missing.

Local law enforcement agencies must file an official missing persons report and enter biographical information into the WSP missing persons computerized network within 12 hours after they have received notice of a missing person's report. The WSP is required to maintain an interface system with local law enforcement and the WASPC missing persons website, the toll-free 24-hour hotline, and national and other statewide missing persons systems and clearinghouses.

Filing Reports and DNA Collection.
When a person reported missing has not been found within 30 days of the report, or at any time the investigating agency suspects criminal activity to be the basis of the victim being missing, the investigating agency must: (1) file a report; (2) initiate collection of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) samples from the known missing person; and (3) ask the missing person's family or next of kin to give consent to request the person's dental records.

Biological samples taken for an investigation must be forwarded to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and to the WSP Crime Laboratory as soon as possible. The investigating agency must then submit the collected DNA samples for nuclear DNA testing to the WSP Crime Laboratory in their jurisdiction, the DNA samples for mitochondrial DNA testing to the FBI, and the dental records to the WSP Missing and Unidentified Persons Unit. In cases where criminal activity is suspected, the WSP must conduct nuclear DNA typing for entry into the state's missing person's DNA database as soon as possible.

The WSP Crime Laboratory must provide guidance to agencies regarding where samples should be sent and conduct nuclear DNA testing of the biological samples where appropriate. In the event additional testing is required, the mitochondrial DNA testing must be conducted through the FBI. However, priority for testing must be given to active criminal cases. If substantial delays in testing occur or federal testing is no longer available, the Legislature should provide funding to implement mitochondrial technology in Washington.

Summary of Bill:

Training.
Training Modules for use of Missing Persons Protocols: The Criminal Justice Training Commission must make the training on the implementation and use of missing persons protocols available to small law enforcement agencies or those located in remote locations with the least disruption.

Missing Persons Website.
The mandate requiring the WASPC to remove information from the missing persons website on overdue persons who subsequently reappear is eliminated. In addition, local law enforcement agencies filing official missing persons reports must enter the biographical information into the state's missing persons computerized network without delay (instead of within 12 hours) after they have received notice of a missing person's report.

Filing Reports and DNA Collection.
Local law enforcement officers may submit any collected DNA samples of a missing person to the appropriate laboratory (instead of the WSP Crime Laboratory in their jurisdiction or the FBI). In cases where criminal activity is suspected, the requirement for the WSP to conduct nuclear DNA typing for entry into the state's missing person's DNA database as soon as possible is eliminated.

The WSP Crime Laboratory must continue to provide guidance to agencies regarding where samples should be sent. However, the requirements mandating the WSP to conduct nuclear DNA testing of the biological samples and for the mitochondrial DNA testing to be conducted through the FBI are eliminated. In addition, active criminal cases are no longer required to be a priority for testing. If substantial delays in testing occur or federal testing is no longer available, a request should be made to the Legislature to provide funding to implement mitochondrial technology in Washington.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Preliminary fiscal note available.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) The companion bill (SHB 1182) passed out of the Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Committee unanimously a few weeks ago and passed off the House of Representatives floor yesterday. Both the SSB 5191 and the SHB 1182 are completely identical. There have been tremendous strides in the area of missing persons over the last several years. This bill streamlines the missing person process and legislation that was enacted last year.

(Opposed) None.

Persons Testifying: (In support) Debbie Wilke, Washington Association of County Officials, Forensic Investigations Council, and Washington Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.