State Reps Hail Passage of Missing Person Law

Editor's Note: The following news release comes from the Connecticut House Republican office.

State Representatives Rosa Rebimbas, R-Naugatuck, David Labriola, R-Oxford, and Len Greene, R-Seymour, today hailed the passage of H.B. 6113 An Act Concerning The Investigation of Missing Adult Persons Reports as a major step toward protecting missing and endangered adults.

The bill requires police departments to accept all reports filed of all missing persons age 18 and older without delay and to input all collected information into appropriate databases in efforts to locate them.

“This bill, inspired and advocated with Janice Smolinski and her family’s efforts to locate her missing adult son Billy (who went missing on Aug. 24, 2004 at age 31), will be a great help to families across the state who are trying to locate a missing adult in a timely fashion.” Rep. Rebimbas said.  “With these new changes the police will have a better opportunity to gather the necessary information to locate missing persons quickly and hopefully spare another family the worry and pain caused by such a loss.” 

Rep. Labriola agreed, adding “Giving local police the ability to begin an investigation in a more timely manner gives them the potential to follow up on leads and speak with witnesses before the trail goes cold.”

“This is a bill that Rep. Vicky Nardello (D-Prospect) and I worked in a bipartisan manner to help pass in the House,” Rep. Rebimbas said. “She has worked tirelessly with the family on this issue.” 

The bill will now be sent to the Senate to be voted on. 
The bill implements the Police Officer Standards and Training Council (POST) update their policy to include training of officers on properly accepting reports of adult missing persons and ways of responding to those who file a report in a "sensitive" manner. The bill also codifies current practice requiring the Chief Medical Examiner to collect DNA from human remains sent to their office and send the sample to the Department of Public Safety where a homicide is suspected.

“Not knowing the whereabouts of a missing loved one is one of the worst things I can imagine,” Rep. Greene said. “This bill will make sure the police have proper and updated training to begin missing persons’ investigations as soon as they’re reported, when time is of the essence.”

“I appreciate the courage the Smolinski family has shown in sharing their story and the hard work they’ve done to get this law passed,” Rep. Rebimbas said.  “It’s unfortunate this law comes about as a result of countless families, including the Smolinskis’, having to endure the pain, heartache and frustration of trying to unsuccessfully locate a missing family member. This is good public policy in protecting our citizens.”

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Rep. Rebimbas represents Naugatuck. 
Rep. Labriola represents Naugatuck, Oxford, and Southbury. 
Rep. Greene represents Seymour, Beacon Falls and Ansonia.