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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1672 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2671
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Frank A. Moran and Manny Cruz
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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 :DATE ADDED:Frank A. Moran17th Essex1/15/2025Manny Cruz7th Essex1/15/2025 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1672 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2671
By Representatives Moran of Lawrence and Cruz of Salem, a petition (accompanied by bill,
House, No. 2671) of Frank A. Moran and Manny Cruz relative to missing and abducted children
investigations. Public Safety and Homeland Security.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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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, 2 of 2
12 including, but not limited to, children under 10 years of age, children under 17 years of
13age, children with mental and physical limitations and dependent adults with mental and physical
14limitations.
15 The municipal police training committee shall include in their 2025 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. The
20training shall be conducted in each local police department at least once every three years.
21 The executive office of public safety and security shall ensure internal policies and the
22missing child clearinghouse intake form to reflect the Massachusetts policy and procedures for
23missing and abducted children investigations. The missing child clearinghouse intake form shall
24be available in, but not limited to, the following languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese,
25French, Chinese, Haitian Creole, Vietnamese, Russian, German, Albanian, Khmer or
26Cambodian.
27 SECTION 2. Section 1 shall take effect on January 15, 2026.
28 SECTION 3. By January 15, 2027, law enforcement agencies in the commonwealth of
29Massachusetts shall adopt the Massachusetts policy and procedures for missing and abducted
30children investigations as the minimum protocol in investigations of missing children.