Arizona SB 1416: missing; kidnapped children; reporting requirements

Bill Text

Chapter 0174 - 572R - S Ver of SB1416 

 Senate Engrossed

 missing; kidnapped 
 children; reporting requirements

 State of Arizona

 Senate

 Fifty-seventh Legislature

 Second Regular Session

 2026

 CHAPTER 174

 SENATE BILL 1416

AN 
ACT

amending sections 8-901 and 41-1728, 
arizona revised statutes; relating to missing children reporting.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Section 8-901, Arizona Revised 
Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE8-901. Missing, kidnapped or runaway children; mandatory reporting; 
training

A. A law enforcement agency that receives a report 
of a missing, kidnapped or runaway child shall do all of the following:

1. Within two hours after receiving the report and 
all necessary and available information, submit all of the 
following information to the Arizona crime information center, 
and the national crime information center computer 
networks and the national missing and unidentified persons system:

(a) The name, date of birth, sex, race, height, 
weight and eye and hair color of the child.

(b) A recent photograph of the child, 
if available.

(c) (b) The date and location of the last known contact 
with the child.

(d) (c) The category under which the child is reported 
missing.

2. Within twenty-four 
hours after receiving the report and all necessary and available information, 
submit to the national center for missing and exploited children all of the following information:

(a) A recent 
photograph of the child, if available. The law enforcement agency 
shall make reasonable efforts to obtain a recent photograph of the child.

(b) The name, 
date of birth, sex, race, height, weight and eye and hair color of the child.

(c) The 
category under which the child is reported missing.

3. Within twenty-four 
hours after receiving the report, provide to appropriate 
media outlets and post on the official social media platforms of the law 
enforcement agency all of the following information:

(a) A complete 
physical description of the child.

(b) The last 
known location of the child.

(c) A 
description of the clothing the child was last known to be wearing.

(d) Current 
photographs of the child if available.

(e) The law 
enforcement agency telephone number.

4. Within thirty days after receiving 
the report, enter in the national missing and unidentified persons system all 
required and available information, including, if available, a photograph of 
the child THAT was taken in the previous one hundred eighty days and medical 
and dental records.

2. 5. Not later than thirty days after the original 
entry of the record, verify and update the record with any additional 
information, including, where if 
available, medical and dental records and a photograph taken during the 
previous one hundred eighty days.

3. 6. Institute or assist with appropriate search and 
investigative procedures.

4. 7. Maintain 
a close liaison with state and local child welfare systems and the national 
center for missing and exploited children for the exchange of information and 
technical assistance in the missing child case.

5. 8. Grant 
permission to the national crime information center terminal contractor for 
this state to update the missing child record in the national crime information 
center computer networks with additional information that is learned during the 
investigation and that relates to the missing child.

B. A law enforcement agency that 
receives a report of a missing, kidnapped or runaway child who is in the foster 
care system shall notify the national center for missing and exploited children 
in addition to the entities listed in subsection A of this section.

C. B. An 
entry may not be removed from any database or system until the child is found 
or the case is closed.

c. Each law enforcement agency in 
this state shall do both of the following:

1. Develop, implement and regularly 
update training criteria regarding the requirements of this 
section. the training shall be comprehensive and shall create a 
solid foundation of knowledge regarding the legal criteria and processes 
required by this section.

2. Conduct training on the provisions 
of this section for all employees of the law enforcement agency, at the time of 
hire and once every two years, who have direct involvement in missing children 
cases, including the supervisors of these employees and communication 
dispatchers. The training shall include a review of any department 
and state policies regarding locating missing or abducted 
children. The training shall be comprehensive and shall create a 
solid foundation of knowledge regarding the legal criteria and processes 
required by this section.

D. Information provided to 
APPROPRIATE media outlets and posted on official law enforcement social media 
platforms pursuant to subsection A, paragraph 3 of this section may not 
characterize a child as a runaway child unles