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ACR 200

Relative to Missing Children's Day.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Dawn Addis and 63 co-sponsors

Proclaims May 25, 2026 as Missing Children’s Day in California to acknowledge and support the work of families, law enforcement, and NCMEC in locating missing children.

Ordered to special consent calendar.
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · ACR 200

Summary of ACR 200 (California, 2025-2026)

Purpose and intent

  • ACR 200 is a concurrent resolution that designates a specific day in California to recognize and honor missing children efforts.
  • Specifically, it proclaims May 25, 2026 as Missing Children’s Day in the State of California.
  • The resolution acknowledges and honors the work of families, law enforcement, and organizations—notably the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)—in efforts to locate and return missing children and to protect children from exploitation.
  • It states a guiding principle that every child deserves a safe childhood.

Key provisions and changes

  • Declares May 25, 2026 as Missing Children’s Day in California.
  • Recognizes the contributions of families, law enforcement, and organizations such as NCMEC in the pursuit of missing children and the prevention of child victimization.
  • Describes the broader context of Missing Children’s Day (national and international observances tied to Etan Patz’s disappearance and the subsequent child safety advocacy movement).
  • The measure does not create new spending or mandates; rather, it serves as an official expression of state recognition and a call to acknowledge ongoing efforts to bring missing children home.

Who or what is affected

  • The declaration primarily affects state symbolism and public acknowledgment.
  • It signals California’s alignment with national and international observances related to missing children.
  • Various state offices (e.g., the Assembly, potentially the Governor’s office) would issue communications to commemorate the day, but there are no explicit programmatic mandates or funding requirements in the text of the resolution.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • The bill text indicates the following progression:
    • Introduced May 6, 2026.
    • Referred to the Assembly Rules Committee (RLS); subsequent committee actions include adoption, consent calendar placement, and passage.
    • Passed the Assembly with a favorable vote (as noted in the action history) and moved to the Senate.
    • After Senate consideration, it advanced to a final status (the action history shows it was ordered to special consent calendar and then to a third reading, suggesting near-final passage).
  • The revision note mentions a heading update (“Heading—Line 2”), indicating a clerical or formatting refinement rather than substantive policy change.

Supporting context and justifications

  • The Digest highlights:
    • National Missing Children’s Day has been observed since 1983; International Missing Children’s Day since 2001.
    • References to Etan Patz and the creation of NCMEC in 1984.
    • NCMEC’s ongoing role in responding to missing children cases, including a large volume of calls (e.g., 2025 toll-free hotline) and numerous missing children reports nationwide, including California.
    • NCMEC programs such as AMBER Alert, age progression and biometric support, and public-engagement tools like Help ID Me.

Practical impact

  • The resolution elevates public awareness and formal recognition but does not impose new duties, funding, or regulatory requirements on state agencies or local governments.
  • It may encourage schools, law enforcement, and community organizations to observe the day in a manner consistent with statewide values of child safety and missing children awareness.

Bottom line

ACR 200 is a commemorative, non-binding resolution that proclaims May 25, 2026 as Missing Children’s Day in California and acknowledges the vital work of families, law enforcement, and organizations—especially NCMEC—in locating missing children and preventing child exploitation. It signals statewide support for ongoing missing children initiatives without creating new programs or expenditures.

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

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