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SUSAN HONG LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH INTERN |
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JAKE AGRON |
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LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH ANALYST JUDICIARY COMMITTEE Telephone: (602) 926-3171 |
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
RESEARCH STAFF
TO: MEMBERS OF THE SENATE
JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
DATE: February 11, 2020
SUBJECT: Strike everything amendment to S.B. 1013, relating to missing children; reporting requirements; definitions
Purpose
Requires the Department of Child Safety (DCS) to make semi-annual reports concerning runaway and taken children.
Background
DCS was created in 2014 and its primary purpose is to protect children through investigation, assessment and support for the safety of a child from abuse, neglect and other criminal conduct allegations (A.R.S. § 8-451). In the case of missing children, DCS is also involved in aiding the location of an abducted or missing child (DCS: Policy and Procedure Manual, Ch. 4 § 08.2).
If DCS receives information during the course of providing services that indicates a child is at risk of serious harm and the child's location is unknown, DCS is required to notify the appropriate law enforcement agency and provide the information required to make the record entry immediately into the Arizona crime information center and the national crime information center missing person databases (A.R.S. § 8-810). This information includes the physical characteristics of the child, date of birth and, if abducted, any information concerning the abductor. If the missing child is located, DCS will confirm that the child's basic needs are immediately met upon their return and inform all necessary parties (DCS: Policy and Procedure Manual, Ch. 4 § 08.2).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Requires DCS to report information on runaway and taken children semi-annually and to make the information available within 90 days of the applicable reporting period.
2. Requires DCS to report the following information on runaway children:
a) the number of children who have run away at least once during the reporting period;
b) an accurate representation of the distribution of the length of time missing of all children on runaway status during the reporting period;
c) the average number of days on runaway status of all children on runaway status;
d) the number of children who have run away more than once during the reporting period;
e) the age and race of the children on runaway status;
f) the placement location from which the child ran away; and
g) if available, the number of children who have been on runaway status who were adjudicated as delinquent, incorrigible or otherwise involved with the juvenile justice system at the time of running away.
3. Requires DCS to report the following information on taken children:
a) the number of children who have been taken during the reporting period;
b) an accurate representation of the distribution of the length of time missing for all children taken during the reporting period;
c) the average number of days missing of all children taken during the reporting period;
d) the number of children who have been taken more than once during the reporting period;
e) the age and race of the children who have been taken; and
f) the placement location from which the child was taken.
4. Defines taken child and runaway status.
5. Requires DCS to notify the President of Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Governor when the reported information is made available.
6. Requires the first reporting period to be from June 1, 2020, to December 31, 2020.
7. Repeals the semi-annual reporting requirement on January 1, 2025.
8. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
