1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to public safety; clarifying role of a law enforcement agency to accept a 
1.3 	missing person report;amending Minnesota Statutes 2009 Supplement, section 
1.4 	299C.53, subdivision 1.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2009 Supplement, section 299C.53, subdivision 1, is 
1.7 	amended to read:
1.8 		Subdivision 1.Investigation and entry of information. (a) A law enforcement 
1.9 	agency that has the responsibility to take a missing person report under section 299C.565
1.10 	shall accept a report without delay ~~any report of a missing person~~. The law enforcement 
1.11 	agency shall not refuse to accept a missing person report on the basis that:
1.12 	(1) the missing person is an adult;
1.13 	(2) the circumstances do not indicate foul play;
1.14 	(3) the person has been missing for a short amount of time;
1.15 	(4) the person has been missing for a long amount of time;
1.16 	(5) there is no indication that the missing person was in the jurisdiction served by the 
1.17 	law enforcement agency at the time of the disappearance;
1.18 	(6) the circumstances suggest that ~~the~~a child's disappearance may be voluntary;
1.19 	(7) the reporting person does not have personal knowledge of the facts;
1.20 	(8) the reporting person cannot provide all of the information requested by the 
1.21 	law enforcement agency;
1.22 	(9) the reporting person lacks a familial or other relationship with the missing 
1.23 	person; or
2.1 	(10) for any other reason, except in cases where the law enforcement agency has 
2.2 	direct knowledge that the person is, in fact, not missing and the whereabouts and welfare 
2.3 	of the person are known at the time the report is being made.
2.4 	A law enforcement agency shall accept missing person reports in person. An agency may 
2.5 	also accept reports by telephone or other electronic means to the extent the reporting is 
2.6 	consistent with the agency's policies or practices. If an agency receives a report and 
2.7 	determines it is not the responsible agency under section 299C.565, the agency shall 
2.8 	promptly refer an interested party to an agency that has the responsibility to take the report.
2.9 	(b) Upon receiving a report of a person believed to be missing, a law enforcement 
2.10 	agency shall conduct a preliminary investigation to determine whether the person is 
2.11 	missing, and if missing, whether the person is endangered. If the person is initially 
2.12 	determined to be missing and endangered, the agency shall immediately consult the 
2.13 	Bureau of Criminal Apprehension during the preliminary investigation, in recognition of 
2.14 	the fact that the first two hours are critical. If the person is determined to be missing and 
2.15 	endangered, the agency shall immediately enter identifying and descriptive information 
2.16 	about the person into the NCIC computer. Law enforcement agencies having direct access 
2.17 	to the NCIC computer shall enter and retrieve the data directly and shall cooperate in the 
2.18 	entry and retrieval of data on behalf of law enforcement agencies which do not have 
2.19 	direct access to the systems.