Missing Persons

A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ENACTING THE "HELP FIND THE MISSING ACT"; AND BY ADDING SECTION 23-1-260 SO AS TO DEFINE CERTAIN TERMS, PROVIDE CIRCUMSTANCES WHEN CORONERS OR MEDICAL EXAMINERS MUST REFER DECEDENTS' BODIES FOR EXAMINATION TO SLED'S FORENSIC SERVICES LABORATORY WHICH MUST RETAIN AND FURNISH CERTAIN INFORMATION ABOUT THE PERSONS TO THE NATIONAL MISSING AND UNIDENTIFIED PERSONS SYSTEM, TO REQUIRE THE COLLECTION OF DENTAL RECORDS BY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES OF PERSONS WHO ARE SUBJECTS OF MISSING PERSONS REPORTS UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, TO PROVIDE FOR THE REPORTING OF MISSING PERSONS IN CERTAIN DATABASES, TO REQUIRE SLED TO ADOPT RULES RELATING TO THE DISSEMINATION OF MISSING PERSONS' RECORDS, TO PROVIDE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES MAY NOT ESTABLISH OR MAINTAIN POLICIES WHICH REQUIRE A WAITING PERIOD BEFORE ACCEPTING AND INVESTIGATING MISSING CHILD REPORTS AND MUST ENTER THE REPORTS INTO THE NATIONAL CRIME INFORMATION CENTER, TO PROVIDE WHEN MISSING PERSONS ARE FOUND, LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES MUST INFORM SLED AND THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF JUSTICE THAT THE PERSONS HAVE BEEN FOUND, TO PROVIDE THIS SECTION DOES NOT PROHIBIT CERTAIN AGENCIES AND PERSONS FROM MAINTAINING CASE FILES RELATED TO MISSING CITIZENS OR UNIDENTIFIED BODIES, AND TO PROVIDE SLED SHALL PERFORM ANNUALLY A COMPLIANCE REVIEW OF THE PROVISIONS CONTAINED IN THIS SECTION.