GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 857
Short Title: Create Alert/Missing Person w/ Disability. (Public)
Sponsors: Representatives T. Brown, Cunningham, Hawkins, and Alston (Primary
Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Judiciary 2, if favorable, Emergency Management and Disaster Recovery, if
favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
April 10, 2025
*H857 -v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT CREATING THE NORTH CAROLINA MISSI NG WITH DISABILITY ALERT 2
SYSTEM. 3
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 4
SECTION 1. Subpart B of Part 5 of Article 13 of Chapter 143B of the General 5
Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read: 6
"ยง 143B-1022A. North Carolina Missing with Disability Alert System established. 7
(a) There is established within the North Carolina Center for Missing Persons the North 8
Carolina Missing with Disability Alert System. The purpose of the Missing with Disability Alert 9
System is to provide a statewide system for the rapid dissemination of information regarding a 10
missing person or missing child who is believed to be a person with a disability as defined by 11
G.S. 168A-3(7a) that, in light of the person's or child's missing status, requires the person or child 12
to be protected from potential abuse or other physical harm, neglect, or exploitation. 13
(b) If the Center or a law enforcement agency receives a request that involves a missing 14
person or missing child as described in subsection (a) of this section, the Center or law 15
enforcement agency shall issue an alert providing for rapid dissemination of information 16
statewide regarding the missing person or missing child. The Center or law enforcement agency 17
shall make every effort to disseminate the information as quickly as possible when the person's 18
or child's status as missing has been reported to a law enforcement agency. 19
(c) The Center and all law enforcement agencies shall adopt guidelines and develop 20
procedures for issuing an alert for missing persons and missing children as described in 21
subsection (a) of this section and shall provide education and training to encourage radio and 22
television broadcasters to participate in the alert. The guidelines and procedures shall ensure that 23
specific health information about the missing person or missing child is not made public through 24
the alert or otherwise. 25
(d) The Center and all law enforcement agencies shall consult with the Department of 26
Transportation and develop a procedure for the use of overhead permanent changeable message 27
signs to provide information on the missing person or missing child meeting the criteria of this 28
section when information is available that would enable motorists to assist in the recovery of the 29
missing person or missing child. The Center and the Department of Transportation shall develop 30
guidelines for the content, length, and frequency of any message to be placed on an overhead 31
permanent changeable message sign." 32
SECTION 2. This act is effective when it becomes law. 33