Bill > S1755

This bill requires the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security to develop a comprehensive guide for investigating missing and abducted children, establishing minimum standards for law enforcement agencies statewide. The guide must reference the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's policies and be inclusive of different child populations, including young children, those under 17, and children with mental and physical limitations. The Municipal Police Training Committee must implement mandatory training for both veteran and new police officers, including a 2-hour in-service program for existing officers and training for new officers at the police academy. The training will be conducted in local police departments at least once every three years. Additionally, the bill requires the missing child clearinghouse intake form to be available in multiple languages, including English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Chinese, Haitian Creole, Vietnamese, Russian, German, Albanian, Khmer, and Cambodian. The new policies will take effect on January 15, 2026, with law enforcement agencies required to adopt these procedures as their minimum protocol by January 15, 2027.

Budget and Finance, Justice

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S1755