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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 883 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1578
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Pavel M. Payano
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act relative to Massachusetts policy and procedures for missing and abducted children.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Pavel M. PayanoFirst Essex 1 of 2
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 883 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1578
By Mr. Payano, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1578) of Pavel M. Payano for
legislation relative to Massachusetts policy and procedures for missing and abducted children.
Public Safety and Homeland Security.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act relative to Massachusetts policy and procedures for missing and abducted children.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Chapter 22A of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the
2following section:-
3 Section 10. The executive office of public safety and security shall develop a guide
4entitled the Massachusetts policy and procedures for missing and abducted children
5investigations that shall establish comprehensive minimum standards for law enforcement
6agencies in the commonwealth. Such agencies shall reference the guide and implement the
7policy and procedures in agency practices and the training of law enforcement officers.
8 The executive office shall reference, but shall not be limited to, the law enforcement
9policy and procedures for reports of missing and abducted children, developed by The National
10Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The executive office shall ensure that policies
11promulgated are comprehensive and inclusive to different categories of missing children,
12including, but not limited to, children under 10 years of age, children under 17 years of age, 2 of 2
13children with mental and physical limitations and dependent adults with mental and physical
14limitations.
15 The municipal police training committee shall include in their 2024 training year, a
16mandatory 2-hour in-service training program for veteran police officers on the Massachusetts
17policy and procedures for missing and abducted children investigations. The municipal police
18training committee shall include training on the Massachusetts policy and procedures for missing
19and abducted children investigations for new police officers attending the police academy.
20 The executive office of public safety and security shall ensure internal policies and the
21missing child clearinghouse intake form to reflect the Massachusetts policy and procedures for
22missing and abducted children investigations. The missing child clearinghouse intake form shall
23be available in, but not limited to, the following languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese,
24French, Chinese, Haitian Creole, Vietnamese, Russian, German, Albanian, Khmer or
25Cambodian.
26 SECTION 2. Section 1 shall take effect on January 15, 2024.
27 SECTION 3. By January 15, 2025, law enforcement agencies in the commonwealth of
28Massachusetts shall adopt the Massachusetts policy and procedures for missing and abducted
29children investigations as the minimum protocol in investigations of missing children.