New York S 6647: Relates to establishing uniform standards for searching for missing persons; expands state databanks to include adults

Bill Text

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S06647 Summary:

BILL NOS06647 

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SAME ASNo Same As

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SPONSORSANDERS

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COSPNSR

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MLTSPNSR

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Add §838-c, amd §§837-f & 837-m, Exec L

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Enacts "Lamont Dottin's Law"; relates to reporting duties with respect to missing children and adults; establishes uniform standards for searching for missing persons; expands state databanks to approach not only the problem of missing children but missing adults as well; requires police departments to establish a trained missing person specialist.

Go to top S06647 Actions:

BILL NOS06647 

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03/19/2025REFERRED TO FINANCE

01/07/2026REFERRED TO FINANCE

Go to topS06647 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topS06647 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topS06647 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 6647

 2025-2026 Regular Sessions

 IN SENATE

 March 19, 2025
 ___________

 Introduced by Sen. SANDERS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
 printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance

 AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to reporting duties with
 respect to missing children and adults

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
 2 "Lamont Dottin's law".
 3 § 2. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 838-c to
 4 read as follows:
 5 § 838-c. Plans for prompt and uniform standards for searching for
 6 missing persons. 1. In consultation with the division of state police
 7 and other appropriate agencies, the division shall, on or before January
 8 first, two thousand twenty-six, adopt and implement and thereafter regu-
 9 larly update a uniform plan for searching for missing persons. Such plan
 10 shall involve a pro-active, coordinated response, planned in advance,
 11 that is triggered immediately upon confirmation by a police officer,
 12 peace officer or police agency of a report of a missing person.
 13 2. Such plans shall, at the minimum, require that:
 14 (a) the name of the missing person, a description of the person and
 15 other pertinent information be immediately dispatched over the police
 16 communication system to local, state and national agencies; and
 17 (b) there shall be no presumption that persons between the ages of
 18 nineteen and sixty-four are not missing.
 19 3. Police agencies not connected with the basic police communication
 20 system in use in such jurisdiction shall transmit such information to
 21 the nearest or most convenient teletypewriter point, from which point it
 22 shall be immediately dispatched, in conformity with the orders, rules or
 23 regulations governing the system.
 24 4. No dispatch or transmission of a report concerning missing persons
 25 shall be required by such plan if the investigating police department

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD09859-01-5

 S. 6647 2

 1 determines that the release of such information would jeopardize the
 2 investigation or the safety of the person, or otherwise requests
 3 forbearance.
 4 § 3. Section 837-f of the executive law, as added by chapter 880 of
 5 the laws of 1986, subdivision 10-a as added by chapter 600 of the laws
 6 of 1997, subdivision 12 as amended by chapter 579 of the laws of 1997,
 7 subdivision 14 as amended by chapter 381 of the laws of 2004 and para-
 8 graph (c) of subdivision 14 as amended by chapter 348 of the laws of
 9 2005, is amended to read as follows:
 10 § 837-f. Missing and exploited [children] persons clearinghouse. There
 11 is hereby established within the division a missing and exploited [chil-
 12 dren] persons clearinghouse to provide a comprehensive and coordinated
 13 approach to the tragic problems of missing and exploited children and of
 14 missing adults. In addition to the activities of the statewide central
 15 register for missing [children] persons, the commissioner shall be
 16 authorized to:
 17 1. Plan and implement programs to ensure the most effective use of
 18 federal, state and local resources in the investigation of all missing
 19 and exploited [children] people;
 20 2. Exchange information and r