HB 2651
Initials JL/NM Page 1 Senate Engrossed
ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Fifty-sixth Legislature
First Regular Session
House: MAPS DP 9-3-3-0 | 3
rd
Read DP 31-28-0-1
Senate: MAPS DP 5-2-0-0 | 3
rd
Read 30-0-0-0
HB 2651: missing children; alert; notification; reporting
Sponsor: Representative Parker B, LD 10
Senate Engrossed
Overview
Augments the efforts that the Department of Child Safety (DCS) is required to take to locate
missing, abducted or runaway children and provides for legislative oversight regarding these
efforts.
History
Current law requires certain persons who reasonably believe that a minor is or has been a victim
of non-accidental physical injury, abuse, neglect, certain reportable offenses or deprivation of
appropriate care with intent to cause death of a protected infant to report this information to an
appropriate authority, which may include DCS or a peace officer who must then notify DCS of the
report (A.R.S. § 13-3620).
If DCS receives such a report or receives information while it is providing child safety services
indicating that a child is at risk of serious harm and the child's location is unknown, statute requires
DCS to provide the appropriate law enforcement agency with necessary information to be
recorded in the Arizona Crime Information Center and the National Crime Information Center
missing person databases. This includes information about the child and the child's parent,
guardian, custodian or person of interest. The law enforcement agency, in turn, is required to
immediately enter this information into the databases (A.R.S. § 8-810).
Provisions
1. Requires DCS to notify agencies as follows within 24 hours of receiving a report or information
indicating that a child who is a ward of the court or in DCS care is missing, abducted or a
runaway and the child's location is unknown:
a) For an abducted child, the Arizona Criminal Justice Information System; and
b) For an abducted, missing or runaway child:
i) The National Crime Information Center missing person database;
ii) The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children;
iii) The Attorney General to initiate a pickup or return order, if applicable. (Sec. 1)
2. Mandates that DCS take various other actions within 24 hours of receiving a report of a
missing, abducted or runaway child, including:
a) Contacting various persons to obtain information about the child's disappearance,
including any person known to DCS who may have relevant information; and
b) Providing notice of disappearance, both written and telephonic, to specifically delineated
persons. (Sec. 1)
3. Requires DCS to notify the appropriate agency to issue an amber alert for abducted children.
(Sec. 1)
☐ Prop 105 (45 votes) ☐ Prop 108 (40 votes) ☐ Emergency (40 votes) ☒ Fiscal Note HB 2651
Initials JL/NM Page 2 Senate Engrossed
4. Instructs DCS to provide specific information about the child and, if known, the child's
abductor, to all local media outlets within 48 hours of receiving a report of a missing, abducted
or runaway child. (Sec. 1)
5. Directs DCS to take various actions on an ongoing basis until the child is located or reaches
the age of majority, including continuously contacting law enforcement, updating social media
platforms, creating age-progression images and documenting its efforts in writing. (Sec. 1)
6. Instructs DCS to develop training for its employees exercising oversight of children and their
supervisors, including training on efforts to locate missing, abducted or runaway children.
(Sec. 1)
7. Specifies actions DCS must take when a child is located, including contacting appropriate
entities and conducting certain assessments. (Sec. 1)
8. Requires DCS to report certain information regarding missing, abducted or runaway children
and DCS's compliance with the above requirements to the legislature. (Sec. 1)
9. Authorizes the legislature to require an annual independent audit of DCS's compliance with
the above requirements and, if found to not be in compliance, mandates that DCS contract
with a third party to oversee its efforts to locate missing, abducted or runaway children. (Sec.
1)
10. Makes technical changes. (Sec. 1)
Senate Amendments
1. Modifies various reporting requirements; changing which entities must make them, which
entities are to receive them and the exact nature of the reporting.
2. Qualifies language — relating to the contacting of specified persons for information about a
child, the provision of notice to specified persons and DCS's ongoing efforts to locate a child
— to provide for their non-implementation in the event that they will hinder investigation or
location efforts.
3. Directs information to be posted to social media platforms in addition to local media outlets.
4. Specifies that age progression images are to be created by working with the National Center
For Missing And Exploited Children.
5. Adds that when a child is recovered there is to be a screening to determine if the child was a
sex trafficking victim.
6. Removes the requirement for DCS to provide a monthly report to specified members of the
legislature.
7. Permits the legislature to convene the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on DCS to
address concerns and deviations from policy and to provide
8. recommendations.