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HB 2854

missing children; emergency information requests

57th Legislature - Second Regular Session Introduced by Walt Blackman

HB 2854 allows law enforcement to request emergency information about missing children from schools, healthcare providers, and tech companies without a warrant to expedite recovery efforts.

House Second Reading
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 2854

Legislative bill overview

HB 2854 establishes procedures for law enforcement to request emergency information about missing children from various entities (schools, healthcare providers, technology companies, etc.) without requiring a warrant. The bill creates a streamlined process for obtaining critical data like medical records, location information, and communications that could help locate endangered minors quickly.

Why is this important

When children go missing, every hour matters for recovery and safety. Current legal requirements for warrants can create delays in obtaining information that might be time-sensitive. This bill aims to balance the urgency of child safety with information access, potentially reducing response times in missing child cases—a genuine public safety priority.

Potential points of contention

  • Privacy vs. speed trade-off: Allowing warrantless information requests raises concerns about broader privacy erosion and whether emergency procedures could be misused or expanded beyond their intended scope
  • Definition of "emergency": The bill's clarity on what constitutes a qualifying emergency and who determines it will be critical—vague standards could enable overreach
  • Scope of requestable information: The types of data that can be obtained (location history, communications, medical records) without judicial oversight may exceed what some consider necessary for child safety and could set precedent for other emergency requests

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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