CHEYENNE – Currently, Wyoming is one of six states which does not have a specific protocol for law enforcement to follow when a person goes missing. However, on Thursday, a bill passed to the state senate would require timely reporting from law enforcement as well as listing the missing person on national databases. 

Senate file number 114 is a bill for an act relating to criminal procedure which would require law enforcement and peace officers related to missing persons to accept reports of missing persons, in a timely fashion. 

Under section one of the bills reporting of missing persons, report acceptance and duties and responsibilities are further defined. 

“Each Wyoming law enforcement agency shall accept, without delay, any credible report of a missing person made to the law enforcement agency, unless at least one of the following occurs: the law enforcement agency knows the location of the person reported missing; the law enforcement agency confirms the safe status of the person reported missing; the person reported missing is not a resident of Wyoming and the most recent verifiable location of the person reported missing was not in Wyoming; the law enforcement agency confirms that another law enforcement agency already has, is accepting or will accept a missing person report for the person,” SF 114 reads. “The person reporting the missing person is unable to articulated reasonable knowledge of the missing person and a legitimate reason for concern for the missing person or the missing person’s health, safety or welfare.” 

The bill further excludes if the law enforcement agency suspects, and can be articulate, that the person is missing for reasons of harassment, stalking or retaliation.

“The primary jurisdiction for reporting a missing person shall be the law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the most recent verifiable location of the missing person. If a verifiable last known location is not determined, the primary jurisdiction shall be the law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the last known residential address of the missing person,” the proposed bill reads.

The bill further indicates all missing persons reports meeting the criteria for reporting under the proposed legislation “shall” be entered into the relevant national, regional and state databases.

“Reports required under this subsection shall be entered by the dates and times required by law but not later than eight hours after the receipt of a report and all required information for submission,” the file explains.

“If a missing person is not located within 30 days of being reported missing under this section, the law enforcement agency that accepted the report under this section shall ensure that a complete and accurate record of information is compiled for the missing person, including a photograph if available,” the proposed bill explains. “The complete and accurate record compiled shall be forwarded to the attorney general and the division of criminal investigations for inclusion in the clearinghouse database on missing persons established under Wyoming State Statute 9-1-624 (a)(v).”

Under section two, the bill further requires the department of criminal investigation to cooperate stating the division shall act as a central repository of information and operate a clearinghouse database on missing persons from the cowboy state. 

“The division may make publicly available information about ongoing missing persons investigations, including reports of missing persons submitted to law enforcement agencies under Wyoming State Statue 7-2-109, to aid the efficient investigation and swift recovery of missing persons or when otherwise in the public interest,” the file reads.

The proposed law swept through the senate judiciary committee on Thursday afternoon where four members voted in favor, with one senator excused. 

If approved, the act would go into effect July 1, 2025.