SPRINGFIELD — State Senator Michael E. Hastings and the Cook County Sheriff’s Office are working to improve Illinois’ policy regarding missing persons investigations.

“When you believe a loved one has gone missing, you need action taken without hesitation,” said Hastings (D-Frankfort). “Eliminating the waiting period and utilizing national databases will give families peace of mind and give law enforcement more tools in the search.”

Senate Bill 24 would eliminate any law enforcement policy requiring the observance of a waiting period before accepting a missing persons report. The bill would also require information from a missing persons report to be immediately entered into the Law Enforcement Agencies Data System upon reception of a report. Under the measure, law enforcement agencies must adopt a strategy regarding missing persons investigations, reporting and follow-up action.

If a person remains missing for 60 days, law enforcement agencies would be required to obtain and enter their photographs, fingerprint records and dental or skeletal radiographs, and biological samples into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System. The bill would require law enforcement to keep missing persons cases under active investigation until the person is located and returned or law enforcement could not close a case due to exhaustion of leads.

Hastings is working on the legislation with the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, which runs the Missing Women’s Project to assist in locating women who have been missing for at least three years. Investigations on all of these cases are aided by the use of different databases, particularly the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System. Current law only requires law enforcement agencies to review and utilize criminal databases to find a missing or unidentified person. However, if someone has not gone through the criminal justice system, then they would not be identified in these databases. Hastings’ measure looks to close the gap in current law where law enforcement is not required to use other databases that could be helpful in locating missing persons, like the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System.

“The passage of SB 24 through the Senate is a critical step forward in strengthening how law enforcement collectively will respond to missing persons cases. The bill represents hope for those who are living the nightmare of wondering where their loved ones may be or what may have happened to them,” said Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart.  “I thank Senator Hastings and lawmakers who championed this bill and urge the House to act swiftly. Lives depend on it – and so does the trust of every family who counts on us to act when every second matters.”

Senate Bill 24 passed the Senate with bipartisan support on Thursday.