The Florida Senate

937.022  Missing Children Information Clearinghouse.--

(1)  There is created a Missing Children Information Clearinghouse within the Department of Law Enforcement. The clearinghouse is established as a central repository of information regarding missing children. Such information shall be collected and disseminated to assist in the location of missing children.

(2)  The clearinghouse shall be supervised by a director who shall be employed upon the recommendation of the executive director. The executive director shall establish services deemed appropriate by the department to aid in the location of missing children.

(3)  The clearinghouse shall:

(a)  Establish a system of intrastate communication of information relating to children determined to be missing by their parents, guardians, or legal custodians or by law enforcement agencies.

(b)  Provide a centralized file for the exchange of information on missing children within the state.

1.  Every state, county, or municipal law enforcement agency shall submit to the clearinghouse information received by it pursuant to s. 937.021

2.  Any parent, guardian, or legal custodian may submit a missing child report to the clearinghouse about a child whose whereabouts is unknown, regardless of the circumstances, subsequent to reporting such child missing to the appropriate law enforcement agency within the county in which the child became missing, which missing child report shall be included in the clearinghouse database.

(c)  Interface with the National Crime Information Center for the exchange of information on children suspected of interstate travel.

(d)  Collect, process, maintain, and disseminate information on missing children and strive to maintain or disseminate only accurate and complete information.

(4)  The parent, guardian, or legal custodian who is responsible for notifying the clearinghouse or a law enforcement agency about a missing child shall immediately notify the clearinghouse or the agency of any child whose location has been determined.

(5)  Information received pursuant to s. 937.021 about a missing child, which information has been included in the clearinghouse database, shall be purged by the appropriate law enforcement agency immediately upon location of such child.

(6)  As used in this section, the term:

(a)  "Missing child" means a person who is under the age of 18 years; whose temporary or permanent residence is in, or is believed to be in, this state; whose location has not been determined; and who has been reported as missing to a law enforcement agency.

(b)  "Missing child report" means a report prepared on a form designed by the Department of Law Enforcement for the use by private citizens and law enforcement agencies to report information about missing children to the Missing Children Information Clearinghouse.

History.--s. 1, ch. 84-43.