HCSHB1559--MISSINGCHILDREN
SPONSOR: Davidson
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPasswithHCS"bytheStanding
CommitteeonChildrenandFamiliesbyavoteof9to0.
ThefollowingisasummaryoftheHouseCommitteeSubstituteforHB
1559.
Thisbillchangestheageapersonisconsideredachild,asit
pertainstotheprovisionsinthebill,toanyoneundertheageof
18insteadof17.Amissingchildcanalsoincludeapersonstill
infostercareregardlessoftheirage.
Thebillrequireslawenforcementagenciestotakeamissingchild
reportfromanymemberofthefamilysupportteam,asdefinedin
thisbill,andprovideacopyofthereporttotheagencyor
placementproviderwithlegalcustodyofthemissingchild.
Anagencyorplacementproviderwithlegalcustodyofachildis
requiredtoensureamissingchildreportisfiledonceithas
determinedthatachildinitscustodyismissing. Theagencyor
placementprovidershallmaintainallmissingchildreportsforany
childunderitslegalcustody. Within72hoursofamissingchild
reportbeingfiledforachildplacedinanauthorizedagencyor
fostercareorwithin72hoursofanauthorizedagencyorfoster
carebeingnotifiedthatachildunderitscustodyismissing,
whichevereventfirstoccurs,thefamilysupportteam,asdefined
inthisbill,shallholdameetingtodiscussthewhereaboutsof
themissingchildandtodiscusstheinitialdecisionregardingthe
custodyandplacementofthemissingchildoncethechildisfound.
Thisbillalsorequirescaseworkerstonotifyajuvenileofficer
ifachildundertheirsupervisiongoesmissingorissuspectedto
beontherun.Oncenotified,thejuvenileofficershallfilewith
thecourtanoticeinthechild'scasefilethatstatesthechild
ismissingandincludeanyotherrelevantinformation,whichshall
includethemissingchildreport.Ifthemissingchildisfound,
thejuvenileofficershallfilewiththecourtanoticeinthe
child'scasefilethatthechildhasbeenfoundandincludeany
otherrelevantinformation.
Thereisapenaltyprovisionforanyagencyorplacementprovider
withlegalcustodyofachildwhogoesmissingbutfailstocomply
withtheprovisionsinthisbill.Failuretocomplywiththe
provisionsinthisbillwillcausetheagencyorplacementprovider
tobeliabletoanyinjuredparty,whichincludesthemissing
child,parent,fosterparent,orlegalguardianofthemissing child,andthestateofMissouri,andsubjecttoacivilpenaltyof
$50,000.
Thefollowingisasummaryofthepublictestimonyfromthe
committeehearing. Thetestimonywasbasedontheintroduced
versionofthebill.
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatthisbillwillattempttofix
loopholesinthelawthatallowsforliabilityforachildthatis
17yearsoldbutwouldnotallowforparentstocallonpoliceto
findtheir17yearoldchild.Mostofthestate'slawsdrawthe
lineofbeinganadultat18yearsoldandthereforethisbillwill
promoteconsistencyinthelaw.
TestifyingforthebillwereRepresentative Davidson;Arnie
Dienoff;DatonLynch,NationalCenterForMissingandExploited
Children;MissouriJuvenileJusticeAssociation;andKidsWin
Missouri.
OPPONENTS: Therewasnooppositionvoicedtothecommittee.
OTHERS:Otherstestifyingonthebillsaythelistofmissing
childrenprovidesextensiveinformationonthechildren. A
significantnumberofcurrentlymissingchildrenare17yearsold
orolder.
TestifyingonthebillwasDarrellMissey,Children'sDivision.
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonycanbefoundunderTestimonyonthebillpageon
theHousewebsite.