Senate Bill 2268 Summary

• Law enforcement agencies must initiate missing/unidentified person procedures within 10 days of receiving a credible report, including submitting information to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System and obtaining biometric records, DNA samples, and fingerprints.

• Agencies are prohibited from requiring waiting periods before accepting missing person reports or mandating next-of-kin appearance before initiating investigations; missing child reports must be entered into national databases without delay.

• State Medical Examiner must conduct forensic genetic genealogy testing on unidentified human remains after 45 days of possession, and county medical examiners must enter unclaimed human remains cases into national databases within 5-15 days of identification.

• Willful destruction of a body, body part, or unidentified human remains is established as a felony punishable by up to $5,000 fine and/or up to 2 years in prison; physicians, hospitals, funeral directors, and embalmers are prohibited from cremating or embalming unidentified remains.

• Law enforcement officers assigned to field or investigative duties must complete at least 2 hours of training related to investigation of unidentified and missing persons; act takes effect July 1, 2024.