The Missing Persons Reporting and Identification Act; create to require input of missing persons in NAMUS.

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To: Judiciary A
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Shanks

HOUSE BILL NO. 967

AN ACT TO CREATE THE MISSING PERSONS REPORTING AND 1
IDENTIFICATION ACT; TO REQUIRE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO 2
ACCEPT A REPORT OF A MISSING PERSON; TO PERMIT LOCAL LAW 3
ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO ATTEMPT TO OBTAIN DNA OF THE MISSING 4
PERSON OR A REFERENCE SAMPLE FROM A FAMILY MEMBER'S DNA TO BE 5
SUBMITTED TO THE NATIONAL MISSING AND UNIDENTIFIED PERSONS SYSTEM 6
(NAMUS) AND THE MISSISSIPPI FORENSIC DNA IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM OR 7
THE NATIONAL DNA IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM; TO PROHIBIT A LOCAL LAW 8
ENFORCEMENT AGENCY FROM ACCEPTING A MISSING PERSON REPORT; TO 9
REQUIRE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO ACCEPT MISSING PERSON 10
REPORTS IN PERSON; TO PROVIDE FOR THE INFORMATION THE LOCAL LAW 11
ENFORCEMENT AGENCY SHALL ATTEMPT TO GATHER REGARDING THE MISSING 12
PERSON'S DISAPPEARANCE; TO REQUIRE THE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT 13
AGENCY TO GENERATE A REPORT OF THE MISSING PERSON WITHIN THE 14
NATIONAL MISSING AND UNIDENTIFIED PERSONS SYSTEM (NAMUS) IF THE 15
PERSON IDENTIFIED REPORT REMAINS MISSING AFTER FIVE DAYS, BUT NOT 16
MORE THAN FIFTEEN DAYS; TO DEFINE THE TERM "HIGH-RISK MISSING 17
PERSON" AND THE PROCEDURES TO BE FOLLOWED BY LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT 18
AGENCIES TO ENSURE THAT THOSE PERSONS ARE INPUT IN THE NATIONAL 19
MISSING AND UNIDENTIFIED PERSONS SYSTEM (NAMUS); TO REQUIRE THE 20
MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO ESTABLISH PROCEDURES 21
FOR DETERMINING HOW TO PRIORITIZE ANALYSIS OF THE SAMPLES RELATING 22
TO MISSING PERSON CASES; TO REQUIRE THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF 23
PUBLIC SAFETY TO IMMEDIATELY NOTIFY ALL LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT 24
AGENCIES WITHIN THIS STATE AND THE SURROUNDING REGION OF 25
INFORMATION THAT WILL AID IN THE PROMPT LOCATION AND SAFE RETURN 26
OF HIGH-RISK MISSING PERSONS; TO BRING FORWARD SECTIONS 43-15-401 27
AND 45-41-1, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, FOR THE PURPOSE OF POSSIBLE 28
AMENDMENTS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 29
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 30
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SECTION 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the 31
Missing Persons Reporting and Identification Act. 32
SECTION 2. (1) All local law enforcement agencies shall 33
accept without delay any report of a missing person and may 34
attempt to obtain a DNA sample from the missing person or a DNA 35
reference sample created from family members' DNA samples for 36
submission under Section 3(3)(a) of this act. Acceptance of a 37
missing person report filed in person may not be refused on any 38
ground. No local law enforcement agency may refuse to accept a 39
missing person report: 40
(a) On the basis that the missing person is an adult; 41
(b) On the basis that the circumstances do not indicate 42
foul play; 43
(c) On the basis that the person has been missing for a 44
short period of time; 45
(d) On the basis that the person has been missing a 46
long period of time; 47
(e) On the basis that there is no indication that the 48
missing person was in the jurisdiction served by the local law 49
enforcement agency at the time of the disappearance; 50
(f) On the basis that the circumstances suggest that 51
the disappearance may be voluntary; 52
(g) On the basis that the reporting individual does not 53
have personal knowledge of the facts; 54
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(h) On the basis that the reporting individual cannot 55
provide all of the information requested by the local law 56
enforcement agency; 57
(i) On the basis that the reporting individual lacks a 58
familial or other relationship with the missing person; 59
(j) On the basis of the missing person's mental state 60
or medical condition; or 61
(k) For any other reason. 62
(2) All local law enforcement agencies shall accept missing 63
person reports in person. Local law enforcement agencies are 64
encouraged to accept reports by phone or by electronic or other 65
media to the extent that such reporting is consistent with law 66
enforcement policies or practices. 67
(3) In accepting a report of a missing person, the local law 68
enforcement agency shall attempt to gather relevant information 69
relating to the disappearance. The local law enforcement agency 70
shall attempt to gather at the time of the report information that 71
shall include, but shall not be limited to, the following: 72
(a) The name of the missing person, including 73
alternative names used; 74
(b) The missing person's date of birth; 75
(c) The missing person's identifying marks, such as 76
birthmarks, moles, tattoos, and scars; 77
(d) The missing person's height and weight; 78
(e) The missing person's gender; 79
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(f) The missing person's race; 80
(g) The missing person's current hair color and true or 81
natural hair color; 82
(h) The missing person's eye color; 83
(i) The missing person's prosthetics, surgical 84
implants, or cosmetic implants; 85
(j) The missing person's physical anomalies; 86
(k) The missing person's blood type, if known; 87
(l) The missing person's driver's license number, if 88
known; 89
(m) The missing person's social security number, if 90
known; 91
(n) A photograph of the missing person; recent 92
photographs are preferable and the agency is encouraged to attempt 93
to ascertain the approximate date the photograph was taken; 94
(o) A description of the clothing the missing person 95
was believed to be wearing; 96
(p) A description of items that might be with the 97
missing person, such as jewelry, accessories, and shoes or boots; 98
(q) Information on the missing person's electronic 99
communications devices, such as cellular telephone numbers and 100
e-mail addresses; 101
(r) The reasons why the reporting individual believes 102
that the person is missing; 103
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(s) The name and location of the missing person's 104
school or employer, if known; 105
(t) The name and location of the missing person's 106
dentist or primary care physician or provider, or both, if known; 107
(u) Any circumstances that may indicate that the 108
disappearance was not voluntary; 109
(v) Any circumstances that may indicate that the 110
missing person may be at risk of injury or death; 111
(w) A description of the possible means of 112
transportation of the missing person, including make, model, 113
color, license number, and Vehicle Identification Number of a 114
vehicle; 115
(x) Any identifying information about a known or 116
possible abductor or person last seen with the missing person, or 117
both, including: 118
(i) Name; 119
(ii) A physical description; 120
(iii) Date of birth; 121
(iv) Identifying marks; 122
(v) The description of possible means of 123
transportation, including make, model, color, license number and 124
Vehicle Identification Number of a vehicle; 125
(vi) Known associates; 126
(y) Any other information that may aid in locating the 127
missing person; and 128
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(z) The date of last contact. 129
(4) (a) The local law enforcement agency shall notify the 130
person making the report, a family member or other person in a 131
position to assist the local law enforcement agency in its efforts 132
to locate the missing person of the following: 133
(i) General information about the handling of the 134
missing person case or about intended efforts in the case to the 135
extent that the local law enforcement agency determines that 136
disclosure would not adversely affect its ability to locate or 137
protect the missing person or to apprehend or prosecute any person 138
criminally involved in the disappearance; 139
(ii) That the person should promptly contact the 140
local law enforcement agency if the missing person remains missing 141
in order to provide additional information and materials that will 142
aid in locating the missing person such as the missing person's 143
credit cards, debit cards, banking information, and cellular 144
telephone records; and 145
(iii) That any DNA samples provided for the 146
missing person case are provided on a voluntary basis and will be 147
used solely to help locate or identify the missing person and will 148
not be used for any other purpose. 149
(b) The local law enforcement agency, upon acceptance 150
of a missing person report, shall inform the reporting citizen of 151
one (1) of two (2) resources, based upon the age of the missing 152
person. If the missing person is under eighteen (18) years of 153
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age, contact information for the National Center for Missing and 154
Exploited Children shall be given. If the missing person is age 155
eighteen (18) or older, contact information for the National 156
Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NaMUS) organization shall 157
be given. 158
(c) The local law enforcement agency is encouraged to 159
make available informational materials, through publications or 160
electronic or other media, that advise the public about how the 161
information or materials identified in this subsection are used to 162
help locate or identify missing persons. 163
(d) If the person identified in the missing person 164
report remains missing after five (5) days, but not more than 165
fifteen (15) days, the local law enforcement agency shall generate 166
a report of the missing person within the National Missing and 167
Unidentified Persons System (NaMUS), and the local law enforcement 168
agency shall attempt to obtain the additional information and 169
materials that have not been received, specified below: 170
(i) DNA samples from family members or from the 171
missing person along with any needed documentation, or both, 172
including any consent forms, required for the use of state or 173
federal DNA databases, including, but not limited to, the State of 174
Mississippi Forensics Laboratory DNA Identification System, 175
National DNA Identification System (NDIS), and National Missing 176
and Unidentified Persons System (NaMUS) partner laboratories; 177
(ii) An authorization to release dental or 178
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skeletal x-rays of the missing person; 179
(iii) Any additional photographs of the missing 180
person that may aid the investigation or an identification; the 181
local law enforcement agency is not required to obtain written 182
authorization before it releases publicly any photograph that 183
would aid in the investigation or identification of the missing 184
person; 185
(iv) Dental information and x-rays; and 186
(v) Fingerprints. 187
(e) Samples collected for DNA analysis may be 188
submitted to a National Missing and Unidentified Persons System 189
(NaMUS) partner laboratory or other resource where DNA profiles 190
are entered into local, state, and national DNA identification 191
systems within fifteen (15) days. The Mississippi Department of 192
Public Safety shall establish procedures for determining how to 193
prioritize analysis of the samples relating to missing person 194
cases. All DNA samples obtained in missing person cases from 195
family members of the missing person may not be retained after the 196
location or identification of the remains of the missing person 197
unless there is a search warrant signed by a court of competent 198
jurisdiction. 199
(f) This subsection shall not be interpreted to 200
preclude a local law enforcement agency from attempting to obtain 201
the materials identified in this subsection before the expiration 202
of the thirty-day period. The responsible local law enforcement 203
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agency may make a National Missing and Unidentified Persons System 204
(NaMUS) report on the missing person within fifteen (15) days 205
after the report of the disappearance of the missing person. 206
(g) Local law enforcement agencies are encouraged to 207
establish written protocols for the handling of missing person 208
cases to accomplish the purposes of this act. 209
SECTION 3. (1) For purposes of this section, the term 210
"high-risk missing person" means a person whose whereabouts are 211
not currently known and whose circumstances indicate that the 212
person may be at risk of injury or death. The circumstances that 213
indicate that a person is a high-risk missing person include, but 214
are not limited to, any of the following: 215
(a) The person is missing as a result of a stranger 216
abduction; 217
(b) The person is missing under suspicious 218
circumstances; 219
(c) The person is missing under unknown circumstances; 220
(d) The person is missing under known dangerous 221
circumstances; 222
(e) The person is missing more than five (5) days; 223
(f) The person has already been designated as a 224
high-risk missing person by another local law enforcement agency; 225
(g) There is evidence that the person is at risk 226
because: 227
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(i) The person is in need of medical attention, 228
including, but not limited to, persons with dementia-like 229
symptoms, or prescription medication; 230
(ii) The person does not have a pattern of running 231
away or disappearing; 232
(iii) The person may have been abducted by a 233
noncustodial parent; 234
(iv) The person is mentally impaired, including, 235
but not limited to, a person having a developmental disability or 236
a person having an intellectual disability, as defined in Section 237
41-21-61; 238
(v) The person is under the age of twenty-one 239
(21); 240
(vi) The person has been the subject of past 241
threats or acts of violence; 242
(vii) The person has eloped from a nursing home; 243
(h) The person is a veteran or active duty member of 244
the United States Armed Forces, the National Guard or any reserve 245
component of the United States Armed Forces who is believed to 246
have a physical or mental health condition that is related to his 247
or her service; or 248
(i) Any other factor that may, in the judgment of the 249
law enforcement official, indicate that the missing person may be 250
at risk. 251
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(2) (a) Upon initial receipt of a missing person report, 252
the local law enforcement agency shall immediately determine 253
whether there is a basis to determine that the missing person is a 254
high-risk missing person. 255
(b) If a local law enforcement agency has previously 256
determined that a missing person is not a high-risk missing 257
person, but obtains new information, it shall immediately 258
determine whether the information indicates that the missing 259
person is a high-risk missing person. 260
(c) Local law enforcement agencies are encouraged to 261
establish written protocols for the handling of missing person 262
cases to accomplish the purposes of this act. 263
(3) (a) The responding local law enforcement agency shall 264
immediately enter all collected information relating to the 265
missing person case in the local law enforcement agency's data 266
system and in the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) 267
databases and the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System 268
(NaMUS) within ten (10) days after the receipt of the report, or 269
in the case of a high-risk missing person, within five (5) days 270
after the receipt of the report. If the DNA sample submission is 271
to a National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NaMUS) 272
partner laboratory, the DNA profile may be uploaded by the partner 273
laboratory to the National DNA Identification System (NDIS). A 274
packet submission of all relevant reports and DNA samples may be 275
sent to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System 276
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(NaMUS) within five (5) days for any high-risk missing person 277
cases. The information shall be provided in accordance with 278
applicable guidelines relating to the databases. The information 279
shall be entered as follows: 280
(i) If the Mississippi Department of Public Safety 281
laboratories are utilized in lieu of National Missing and 282
Unidentified Persons System (NaMUS) partner laboratories, all 283
appropriate DNA profiles, as determined by the Mississippi 284
Department of Public Safety, shall be uploaded into the missing 285
person databases of the State of Mississippi Forensics Laboratory 286
DNA Identification System and National DNA identification system 287
(NDIS) after completion of the DNA analysis and other procedures 288
required for database entry. The responding local law enforcement 289
agency may submit any DNA samples voluntarily obtained from family 290
members to a National Missing and Unidentified Persons System 291
(NaMUS) partner laboratory for DNA analysis within fifteen (15) 292
days. A notation of DNA submission may be made within the 293
National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NaMUS) record. 294
(ii) Information relevant to the Federal Bureau of 295
Investigation's Violent Criminal Apprehension Program shall be 296
entered as soon as possible. 297
(iii) The Mississippi Department of Public Safety 298
shall ensure that persons entering data relating to medical or 299
dental records in state or federal databases are specifically 300
trained to understand and correctly enter the information sought 301
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by these databases. The Mississippi Department of Public Safety 302
shall either use a person with specific expertise in medical or 303
dental records for this purpose or consult with a chief medical 304
examiner, forensic anthropologist or odontologist to ensure the 305
accuracy and completeness of information entered into the state 306
and federal databases. 307
(b) The Mississippi Department of Public Safety shall 308
immediately notify all local law enforcement agencies within this 309
state and the surrounding region of the information that will aid 310
in the prompt location and safe return of the high-risk missing 311
person. 312
(c) The local law enforcement agencies that receive the 313
notification from the Mississippi Department of Public Safety 314
shall notify officers to be on the lookout for the missing person 315
or a suspected abductor. 316
(d) Pursuant to any applicable state criteria, local 317
law enforcement agencies shall also provide for the prompt use of 318
an Amber Alert in cases involving missing or abducted children as 319
authorized under Section 43-15-401, the Silver Alert System as 320
authorized under Section 45-41-1, or use of the Endangered Missing 321
Person Advisory in appropriate high-risk cases. 322
SECTION 4. Section 43-15-401, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 323
brought forward as follows: 324
43-15-401. (1) Law enforcement agencies in this state shall 325
adopt written policies that specify the procedures to be used to 326
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investigate reports of missing children. The policies must ensure 327
that cases involving missing children are investigated promptly 328
using appropriate resources and are in compliance with the 329
requirements of this section and 42 USCS Sections 5779 and 5780. 330
The policies must include: 331
(a) Procedures for accepting and filing missing child 332
reports; 333
(b) Procedures for initiating, maintaining, closing or 334
referring a missing child investigation; 335
(c) Procedures for the prompt and open transfer of 336
information where multiple jurisdictions and agencies are involved 337
in the investigation; and 338
(d) Standards for maintaining and clearing data 339
concerning a missing child that is stored in the National Crime 340
Information Center. The standards must require, at a minimum, a 341
monthly review of each case and a determination of whether the 342
case should be maintained in the database. 343
(2) A law enforcement agency shall not adopt rules, 344
regulations or policies that prohibit or discourage the filing of 345
a report or the taking of any action on a report that a child is a 346
missing child or that a child is believed to be a missing child. 347
For purposes of this section and in compliance with federal law, a 348
runaway child is a missing child and shall not be excluded as such 349
based solely on the fact the child has voluntarily absented 350
himself from his normal place of residence. 351
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(3) A law enforcement agency shall not establish a mandatory 352
waiting period before accepting a missing child report and 353
beginning an investigation to locate a missing child. 354
(4) An entry concerning a missing child may not be removed 355
from the National Crime Information Center database based solely 356
on the age of the missing child. 357
(5) Upon receiving a report that a child is missing, the law 358
enforcement agency having jurisdiction shall immediately: 359
(a) File a report or cause a report to be filed in the 360
county or municipality where the child resides or in which the 361
child was last seen or both. Nothing in this subsection (5) shall 362
preclude a law enforcement agency from accepting a missing child 363
report when jurisdiction cannot be determined; 364
(b) Institute or assist with appropriate search and 365
investigative procedures; 366
(c) Inform all on-duty law enforcement officers within 367
the agency of the missing child report; and 368
(d) Transmit the report for inclusion within the 369
National Crime Information Center database within the time frame 370
required by federal law. Law enforcement agencies having the duty 371
to enter the missing child report into the National Crime 372
Information Center database shall provide any information required 373
by the National Crime Information Center to effectuate the purpose 374
of this section. 375
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(6) Upon receiving a missing child report, as provided in 376
subsection (5) of this section, the law enforcement agency that 377
entered the report into the National Crime Information Center 378
shall: 379
(a) No later than five (5) days after the original 380
entry of the record into the National Crime Information Center 381
computer networks, verify and update such record with any 382
additional information, including, where available, medical and 383
dental records and a photograph taken during the previous ninety 384
(90) days; 385
(b) Notify the National Center for Missing and 386
Exploited Children of each report received relating to a missing 387
foster child. 388
(7) Upon receiving a missing child report, the law 389
enforcement agency shall consider whether the circumstances under 390
which the child went missing satisfy the criteria necessary for 391
the issuance of an Amber Alert and, where applicable, shall 392
immediately submit to the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation all 393
required paperwork and documents necessary to request the issuance 394
of an Amber Alert. 395
(8) Any person or institution reporting, in good faith, a 396
child to be missing shall be immune from any liability, civil or 397
criminal, that might otherwise be incurred or imposed. 398
SECTION 5. Section 45-41-1, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 399
brought forward as follows: 400
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45-41-1. (1) This section shall be known and cited as the 401
"Mississippi Silver Alert System Act of 2010." 402
(2) The Legislature finds that: 403
(a) Wandering is a common behavior among those persons 404
with dementia or other cognitive impairments that causes great 405
concern for the families and caregivers of this state; 406
(b) This state is not currently equipped with the 407
systems necessary to locate those with dementia or other cognitive 408
impairments in a timely manner, with the unfortunate result that 409
some individuals are never returned home to their families; and 410
(c) It is imperative that this state develop a plan to 411
ensure that if an individual with dementia or other cognitive 412
impairments is missing, the appropriate infrastructure is 413
available and can be easily and timely activated to protect the 414
health and safety of these vulnerable citizens. 415
(3) When used in this section, unless the context requires a 416
different definition, the following terms shall have the following 417
meanings: 418
(a) "E911" means Enhanced Universal Emergency Number 419
Service or Enhanced 911 Service, which is a telephone exchange 420
communications service by which a Public Safety Answering Point 421
designated by the county or local communication district may 422
receive telephone calls dialed to the telephone number 911. 423
(b) "First responders" means state and local law 424
enforcement personnel, fire department personnel, emergency 425
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medical personnel, emergency management personnel and public works 426
personnel who may be deployed to bioterrorism attacks, terrorist 427
attacks, catastrophic or natural disasters and emergencies. 428
(c) "Originating local law enforcement agency" means a 429
local police or sheriff's office that has jurisdiction over the 430
area where a person became missing. 431
(4) (a) The Bureau of Investigation of the Department of 432
Public Safety shall implement a statewide "Silver Alert System" 433
that has the purpose of providing a tiered, rapid response system 434
to notify the public about missing endangered adults, who are age 435
18 or older, with dementia or other cognitive impairments. The 436
initial response may be local, statewide or national based on 437
available information about the missing person. 438
(b) A Silver Alert activation request may be made only 439
by a law enforcement agency, and the Bureau of Investigation of 440
the Department of Public Safety may only activate a Silver Alert 441
after a request is made. 442
(c) To activate a Silver Alert, all of the following 443
criteria must be met: 444
(i) The missing adult, age 18 or older, is 445
believed to have dementia or other cognitive impairments; 446
(ii) The person is believed to be missing and in 447
imminent danger regardless of circumstance; 448
(iii) The family, legal caregiver or custodian of 449
the missing person has submitted a missing person's report to the 450
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local law enforcement agency in the jurisdiction where the person 451
became missing, with all waiting periods being waived; and 452
(iv) The law enforcement agency that has 453
jurisdiction of where the person became missing reports the 454
incident to the Bureau of Investigation of the Department of 455
Public Safety through the Mississippi Highway Patrol Headquarters 456
Communication Center. 457
(d) To initiate a request to activate a Silver Alert, 458
the family, legal caregiver or custodian of the missing person 459
must file immediately a report of the missing person with the 460
local law enforcement agency where the person became missing that 461
includes the following information: 462
(i) A description of the missing person including 463
physical characteristics, clothing and photos, if available; 464
(ii) A description of the known circumstances 465
under which the person became missing including the time, place, 466
direction, possible destinations, whether the person is walking or 467
in a vehicle, and all other pertinent information concerning where 468
the person may have become missing; and 469
(iii) Updates on the missing person as new 470
information becomes available. 471
(e) The originating local law enforcement agency, after 472
completing the investigation expeditiously and determining that 473
the case meets the qualifying criteria prescribed in this section, 474
shall: 475
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(i) Waive in the case of a Silver Alert, any 476
waiting periods for a missing person's report in order to 477
galvanize the appropriate communities rapidly to assist in the 478
search for and the safe recovery of the missing person; 479
(ii) Notify the Mississippi Highway Patrol 480
Headquarters Communication Center and electronically send to the 481
center the completed Silver Alert forms and available photos, 482
signed by the police chief, sheriff, commanding officer or his or 483
her designee; 484
(iii) Enter the information into the National 485
Crime Information Center (NCIC); 486
(iv) Using a tiered approach based on known 487
circumstances, initiate an alert bulletin to all local law 488
enforcement, E911 and first responder agencies to search the 489
immediate area; 490
(v) Activate secondary alert systems to residents, 491
businesses, and broadcast media in the immediate area; 492
(vi) Provide a twenty-four-hour phone number to 493
receive calls while continuing the investigation; and 494
(vii) Update the family, legal caregiver or 495
custodian of the missing person as new information becomes 496
available. 497
(5) (a) After the Bureau of Investigation of the Department 498
of Public Safety has been contacted by a local law enforcement 499
agency requesting a Silver Alert activation, the Criminal 500
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Information Center shall consider before the activation of the 501
Silver Alert procedures by the Silver Alert coordinator, or his or 502
her designee, the information contained in the initial Silver 503
Alert report form to ensure that it meets all criteria specified 504
in subsection (4)(c) of this section. Elements of the missing 505
person case to be considered are: 506
(i) Threat of imminent harm or death to the 507
missing person because of age, health, mental or physical 508
disability, environmental or weather conditions; 509
(ii) Time of initial report in relation to the 510
time of disappearance, including whether the disappearance is 511
unexplained, involuntary or is under suspicious circumstances; 512
(iii) Believed to be walking or in a vehicle; 513
(iv) Witness information; 514
(v) Possible domestic dispute involving the 515
missing person; and 516
(vi) Other facts that indicate the missing person 517
is in danger of serious injury or death, including whether there 518
is possible criminal intent toward the missing person or whether 519
someone witnessed the disappearance. 520
(b) Each case shall be reviewed on its own merits, and 521
if there are extenuating circumstances, the required criteria in 522
this section may be amended or expanded depending on the merits 523
presented. 524
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(c) Only the Silver Alert coordinator, or his or her 525
designee, may authorize activation of a statewide Silver Alert and 526
if an activation is authorized, the Criminal Information Center 527
shall: 528
(i) Prepare an announcement concerning the missing 529
person; 530
(ii) Contact the designated media stations to 531
activate the alert; and 532
(iii) Request the Mississippi Department of 533
Transportation to activate electronic signs, if appropriate. 534
(d) If the missing person is believed to be in a 535
vehicle, the Silver Alert coordinator shall send information and 536
available photos via emails and fax to the statewide 537
communications systems, news media and other forms of public 538
communication or electronic resources. 539
(6) (a) Following the initial alert, a Silver Alert 540
broadcast shall be updated by television and radio stations as 541
necessary until such time that an end of alert message is received 542
from the law enforcement agency that requested the initial Silver 543
Alert. 544
(b) Local and statewide broadcast stations shall 545
exercise their own independent discretions as to whether to repeat 546
the required broadcasts prescribed in this section more frequently 547
and shall determine the frequency in which the alert is 548
re-broadcast following the initial alert. 549
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(c) The Silver Alert termination notification shall be 550
issued twenty-four (24) hours after the airing of the latest and 551
most current information or when the case has been resolved and 552
verification from the originating local law enforcement agency has 553
been received by the Department of Public Safety. 554
(7) (a) If the circumstances of a person's disappearance do 555
not meet the criteria for a Silver Alert to activate statewide 556
communication systems, in addition to a local law enforcement 557
agency activating a Purple Alert, the Bureau of Investigation of 558
the Department of Public Safety may offer an alternate form of 559
mass notification as provided in this section. 560
(b) The alternate form of mass notification may be an 561
email that includes a photograph and the Silver Alert initial 562
reporting form that is sent through a statewide network of law 563
enforcement and first responder agencies, news media offices and 564
other forms of public communication. 565
(c) The email authorized in paragraph (b) of this 566
subsection (7) shall contain information taken from the Silver 567
Alert initial reporting form that is submitted by the originating 568
local law enforcement agency. 569
(d) The email alerting news media and law enforcement 570
agencies of a person's disappearance that does not meet the 571
criteria of a Silver Alert activation shall include the following 572
paragraph at the beginning of the email: 573
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ST: The Missing Persons Reporting and
Identification Act; create to require input of
missing persons in NAMUS.
"The (name of law enforcement agency) has requested the 574
following information be provided to the Mississippi news media 575
and law enforcement agencies: At the present time, information 576
being provided to the Mississippi Department of Public Safety by 577
the (name of law enforcement agency) does not meet the criteria to 578
activate a Silver Alert. It is left to the discretion of each law 579
enforcement agency and news department receiving this email as to 580
whether the attached information, regarding the disappearance of 581
this person and/or the photograph of this person, will be released 582
to the public." 583
(e) If further investigation into the disappearance 584
produces evidence that may change the initial circumstances as 585
reported to local law enforcement, the Department of Public Safety 586
may reconsider activating a Silver Alert notwithstanding the 587
existence of an active Purple Alert previously initiated by a 588
local law enforcement agency. 589
SECTION 6. This act shall take effect and be in force from 590
and after July 1, 2026. 591