Legislature(2021 - 2022)
2021-02-22 Senate Journal
Full Journal pdf2021-02-22 Senate Journal Page 0295 SB 92 SENATE BILL NO. 92 BY THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR, entitled: "An Act relating to missing persons under 21 years of age." was read the first time and referred to the Health and Social Services and State Affairs Committees. The following fiscal information was published today: Fiscal Note No. 1, zero, Department of Public Safety Fiscal Note No. 2, zero, Department of Health and Social Services 2021-02-22 Senate Journal Page 0296 Governor's transmittal letter dated February 18: Dear President Micciche: Under the authority of Article III, Section 18, of the Alaska Constitution, I am transmitting a bill updating the timeframes for reporting missing persons under the age of 21 to state and national databases. Recent changes in Federal law require all law enforcement agencies to complete and transmit reports of missing persons under the age of 21 into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) no more than two hours after a person has been reported missing. Time is of the essence in cases involving this vulnerable population in order to marshal quickly as many resources as possible to search for the missing person. Current state law gives law enforcement 24 hours to enter a missing person’s report into the Alaska Public Safety Information Network (APSIN) and the NCIC, and only on persons under the age of 18. The bill amends AS 18.65.620 and AS 47.10.141 to bring state law in line with federal requirements, and to align with the current practice of Alaska’s law enforcement agencies. Persons under the age of 21 who go missing are at an increased risk of being harmed. It is crucial that reports are met with urgency. The bill will bring Alaska into federal compliance and ensure that we are leveraging state and national databases to bring these young people home safely. I urge your prompt and favorable action on this measure. Sincerely, /s/ Mike Dunleavy Governor