FIRST REGULAR SESSION
SENATE BILL NO. 612
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR MAY.
2425S.01I KRISTINA MARTIN, Secretary
AN ACT
To amend chapter 210, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to emergency
notification systems, with penalty provisions.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapter 210, RSMo, is ame nded by adding thereto 1
one new section, to be known as section 210.1017, to read as 2
follows:3
210.1017. 1. There is hereby created a statewide 1
program called the "Ebony Alert System" referred to in this 2
section as the "system" to aid in the identi fication and 3
location of an abducted or missing Black youth. 4
2. For the purposes of this section, "abducted or 5
missing Black youth" means a Black individual whose 6
whereabouts are unknown and who is: 7
(1) Less than twenty-five years of age and reasonably 8
believed to be the victim of the offense of kidnapping or 9
kidnapping in the first degree as defined by section 565.110 10
as determined by local law enforcement; 11
(2) Reasonably believed to be the victim of the 12
offense of child kidnapping as defined by section 565.115 as 13
determined by local law enforcement; 14
(3) Less than twenty-five years of age and at least 15
fourteen years of age and who, if under the age of fourteen, 16
would otherwise be reasonably believed to be a victim of 17 SB 612 2
child kidnapping as defined by section 565.115 as determined 18
by local law enforcement; or 19
(4) Reasonably believed to be a victim of an offense 20
of trafficking pursuant to sections 566.206, 566.209, 21
566.210, or 566.211. 22
3. The department of public safety shall develop 23
regions to provide the system. The department of public 24
safety shall coordinate local law enforcement agencies and 25
public commercial television and radio broadcasters to 26
provide an effective system. In the event that a local law 27
enforcement agency opts not to set up a system and an 28
abduction occurs within the jurisdiction, it shall notify 29
the department of public safety who shall notify local media 30
in the region. 31
4. The Ebony alert system shall include all state 32
agencies capable of providing urgent and timely information 33
to the public together with broadcasters and other private 34
entities that volunteer to participate in the dissemination 35
of urgent public information. At a minimum, the Ebony alert 36
system shall include the department of public safety, 37
highway patrol, department of transportation, department of 38
health and senior services, and Missouri lottery. 39
5. Participation in an Ebony alert system is entirely 40
at the option of local law enforcement agencies and 41
federally licensed radio and television broadcasters. 42
6. Any person who knowingly makes a false report that 43
triggers an alert pursuant to this section is guilty of a 44
class A misdemeanor. 45