HCSHB1559--MISSINGCHILDREN(Davidson)
COMMITTEEOFORIGIN:StandingCommitteeonChildrenandFamilies
Thisbillchangestheageapersonisconsideredachild,asit
pertainstomultipleprovisionsinthebill,toanyoneunderthe
ageof18insteadof17.Amissingchildcanalsoincludeaperson
stillinfostercareregardlessoftheirage.
Thebillrequireslawenforcementagenciestotakeamissingchild
reportfromanymemberofthefamilysupportteam,asdefinedin
thisbill,andprovideacopyofthereporttotheagencyor
placementproviderwithlegalcustodyofthemissingchild(Section
43.401,RSMo).
Currently,theDepartmentofHealthandSeniorServicesisrequired
tomaintainarecordofsubstantiated, signedparentalcomplaints
againstlicensedchildcarefacilitiesandmakethoseavailableto
thepublic.Thisbillgivestheresponsibility totheDepartment
ofElementaryandSecondaryEducationinsteadofDHSSandspecifies
thatthecomplaintsbeingmadeavailabletothepublicshouldnot
divulgeanyinformationthatcanidentifythereporters(Section
210.203).
Anagencyorplacementproviderwithlegalcustodyofachildis
requiredtoensureamissingchildreportisfiledonceithas
determinedthatachildinitscustodyismissing. Theagencyor
placementprovidershallmaintainallmissingchildreportsforany
childunderitslegalcustody. Within72hoursofamissingchild
reportbeingfiledforachildplacedinanauthorizedagencyor
fostercareorwithin72hoursofanauthorizedagencyorfoster
carebeingnotifiedthatachildunderitscustodyismissing,
whichevereventfirstoccurs,thefamilysupportteam,asdefined
inthisbill,shallholdameetingtodiscussthewhereaboutsof
themissingchildandtodiscusstheinitialdecisionregardingthe
custodyandplacementofthemissingchildoncethechildis
found(Section210.762).
Thisbillalsorequirescaseworkerstonotifyajuvenileofficer
ifachildundertheirsupervisiongoesmissingorissuspectedto
beontherun.Oncenotified,thejuvenileofficershallfilewith
thecourtanoticeinthechild'scasefilethatstatesthechild
ismissingandincludeanyotherrelevantinformation,whichshall
includethemissingchildreport.Ifthemissingchildisfound,
thejuvenileofficershallfilewiththecourtanoticeinthe
child'scasefilethatthechildhasbeenfoundandincludeany
otherrelevantinformation(Section210.795).
Thereisapenaltyprovisionforanyagencyorplacementprovider withlegalcustodyofachildwhogoesmissingbutfailstocomply
withtheprovisionsinthisbill.Failuretocomplywiththe
provisionsinthisbillwillcausetheagencyorplacementprovider
tobeliabletoanyinjuredparty,whichincludesthemissing
child,parent,fosterparent,orlegalguardianofthemissing
child,andthestateofMissouri,andsubjecttoacivilpenaltyof
$50,000(Section210.762).