Memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim May 25, 2026, as Missing Children's Day in the State of New York

Senate Resolution No. 2063

BY: Senator PERSAUD

        MEMORIALIZING  Governor  Kathy  Hochul to proclaim
        May 25, 2026, as Missing Children's Day in the State
        of New York

  WHEREAS, The State of New York  takes  great  pride  in  recognizing
official  days  that  highlight  critical issues affecting its citizens,
especially its children; and

  WHEREAS, May 25th has been nationally recognized as National Missing
Children's  Day   since   1983   and   internationally   recognized   as
International Missing Children's Day since 2001; and

  WHEREAS, National Missing Children's Day was established in honor of
Etan  Patz,  a  six-year-old boy who disappeared on his way to school in
New York City in 1979 and whose case became a symbol of the movement  to
protect missing children in the United States; and

  WHEREAS,  The  National  Center  for  Missing  &  Exploited Children
(NCMEC) was established by John and Reve Walsh after the  abduction  and
murder  of  their  six-year-old  son Adam; John and Reve Walsh channeled
their painful experience of losing Adam to create NCMEC in 1984; and

  WHEREAS,  Today,  NCMEC   operates   16   Congressionally-designated
programs to find missing children, reduce child sexual exploitation, and
prevent child victimization; and

  WHEREAS,  In  2025,  NCMEC  received  over  130,000 calls related to
missing and exploited children through its national  toll-free  hotline,
1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678); and

  WHEREAS, In 2025, NCMEC received more than 32,000 reports of missing
children, including 2,582 reports of missing children from New York; and

  WHEREAS,  NCMEC  manages  the  AMBER  Alert  Secondary  Distribution
Program, and as of December, 2025, more than 1,300  children  have  been
recovered as a result of AMBER Alert activations; and

  WHEREAS,   NCMEC   supports  the  resolution  of  long-term  missing
children's cases by creating age progression images and facial and skull
reconstructions; assisting in biometric  collection  and  analysis;  and
engaging  the  public  to identify unknown deceased children through the
Help ID Me initiative; and

  WHEREAS, Through its work, NCMEC remains a  beacon  of  hope  and  a
powerful   advocate  for  children's  safety,  embodying  an  unwavering
commitment to preventing abduction and exploitation and assisting in the
safe recovery of children; now, therefore, be it

  RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its  deliberations  to
memorialize  Governor  Kathy Hochul to proclaim May 25, 2026, as Missing
Children's Day in the State of New  York,  recognizing  the  efforts  of
families,  law enforcement, and organizations such as NCMEC that work to

bring missing children home and recognize that every  child  deserves  a
safe childhood; and be it further

  RESOLVED,  That  copies  of  this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of  New
York, and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.