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H1715 • 2025

An Act relative to locating missing persons via mobile data (Kelsey's Bill)

An Act relative to locating missing persons via mobile data (Kelsey's Bill)

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Colleen M. Garry
Last action
2026-03-26
Official status
Accompanied a study order, see H5281 (under House Rule 27)
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act relative to locating missing persons via mobile data (Kelsey's Bill)

An Act relative to locating missing persons via mobile data (Kelsey's Bill) By Representative Garry of Dracut, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.

What This Bill Does

  • An Act relative to locating missing persons via mobile data (Kelsey's Bill) By Representative Garry of Dracut, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
  • 1715) of Colleen M.
  • Garry relative to requiring mobile phone providers to disclose to law enforcement officials the location of missing persons.
  • The Judiciary.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-26 House

    Accompanied a study order, see H5281 (under House Rule 27)

  2. 2025-10-20 Joint

    Hearing scheduled for 07/15/2025 from 01:00 PM-08:00 PM in A-2

  3. 2025-07-15 Joint

    Hearing rescheduled to 07/15/2025 from 01:00 PM-06:00 PM in A-2 and Virtual Hearing updated to New End Time

  4. 2025-07-15 Joint

    Hearing rescheduled to 07/15/2025 from 01:00 PM-08:00 PM in A-2 and Virtual Hearing updated to New End Time

  5. 2025-07-07 Joint

    Hearing scheduled for 07/15/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in A-2

  6. 2025-02-27 House

    Referred to the committee on The Judiciary

  7. 2025-02-27 Senate

    Senate concurred

  8. House

    Reported by committee to Clerk’s Office for processing, will accompany a study order

Official Summary Text

An Act relative to locating missing persons via mobile data (Kelsey's Bill)
By Representative Garry of Dracut, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1715) of Colleen M. Garry relative to requiring mobile phone providers to disclose to law enforcement officials the location of missing persons. The Judiciary.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
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Bill H.1715

Chapter 6A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting at the end thereof the following new section:—

Section 18M.

(a) As used in this section the term “Executive office” shall mean the executive office of public safety and security.

(b) Upon request of a law enforcement agency, a wireless telecommunications carrier or in-vehicle security and communications service provider, shall immediately provide location information concerning the telecommunications devices of the user to the requesting law enforcement agency (i) in order to respond to a call for emergency services initiated from the telecommunications devices of the user, (ii) to assist in a missing person investigation, or (iii) in `an emergency situation that involves the risk of death or serious physical harm. Nothing in this section shall prohibit a wireless telecommunications carrier from establishing protocols by which the carrier could voluntarily disclose location information.

(c) (1) All wireless carriers and in-vehicle security and communications service providers shall submit their emergency contact information to the executive office in order to facilitate requests from a public safety department for location information in accordance with subsection (b). Such contact information shall be submitted annually by June 15th or immediately upon any change in contact information.

(d) No cause of action shall lie in any court against any wireless telecommunications carrier or in-vehicle security and communications service provider, its officers, employees, agents or other specified persons for providing call location information while acting in good faith and in accordance with the provisions of this section.

(e) The executive office shall maintain a database containing emergency contact information for all wireless telecommunications carriers and in-vehicle security and communications service providers and shall make the information immediately available upon request to all public safety answer points in the state. The executive office shall promulgate regulations for administration and enforcement of this section; provided further, that such regulations shall be promulgated no later than December 31, 2023.

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