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HB 1511

Public Safety - State Clearinghouse for Missing Persons

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Anne Healey

Maryland creates centralized missing persons clearinghouse to improve inter-agency coordination and investigative response across state law enforcement jurisdictions.

First Reading Judiciary
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Bill Summary · HB 1511

Legislative bill overview

HB 1511 establishes a state clearinghouse system in Maryland to coordinate missing persons cases across law enforcement agencies. The bill creates centralized infrastructure for data sharing, case management, and inter-agency communication regarding missing persons reports. This aims to improve response times and investigative effectiveness by eliminating information silos between local and state authorities.

Why is this important

Missing persons cases often involve multiple jurisdictions, and delayed information-sharing can cost critical hours in time-sensitive situations. A centralized clearinghouse could help identify patterns (serial abductions, trafficking networks) that individual agencies might miss separately. The system could particularly benefit cases involving vulnerable populations like children, elderly persons with dementia, and individuals at risk of human trafficking.

Potential points of contention

  • Privacy and data security concerns: Centralizing sensitive personal information creates larger targets for data breaches and raises questions about who accesses records and under what circumstances
  • Funding and implementation costs: Establishing and maintaining a statewide system requires sustained budget allocation; unclear whether bill specifies funding sources or creates unfunded mandates on local agencies
  • Operational burden on local agencies: Small police departments may face compliance challenges and resource demands to input data into the clearinghouse, potentially diverting resources from investigations

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

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