Hawaii House Bill HB1192

Hawaii 2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/23/25
• Refer: 1/27/25

Caption

Relating To Missing Persons.

Impact

If enacted, the bill will amend Chapter 353C of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, thereby introducing the Charli alert system. Law enforcement agencies will be empowered to activate this alert under certain conditions, thereby enhancing public engagement in the search for missing individuals. The proposed program aims to help vulnerable groups, particularly Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander women and children, who are disproportionately represented in the state's missing persons cases. The establishment of this program signifies an important step towards addressing public safety concerns effectively.

Summary

House Bill 1192 seeks to establish a new alert program known as the 'Charli alert' in the state of Hawaii. This initiative is inspired by successful alert systems like AMBER and Silver alerts, which have proven effective in locating missing children and seniors. The Charli alert is intended to cover individuals aged 18 to 64 who are reported missing under suspicious circumstances or are believed to be in danger, particularly from domestic violence. This bill acknowledges the urgency in missing persons cases and aims to improve the response time by allowing law enforcement to rapidly disseminate information to the public.

Contention

While the Charli alert program is designed to enhance the existing framework for missing persons alerts, there may be discussions around the allocation of state funds and resources required to implement it. The bill anticipates appropriations for the fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 to support the program's establishment and operational costs. Potential concerns could arise over the expansion of police powers in activating alerts and the implications of making such alerts public, particularly regarding privacy and the accuracy of information shared.