Policy Resolution LJE-19-13

WHEREAS, there is no uniform national or local public policy establishing a public alert for missing persons from ages nineteen to sixty-four;

WHEREAS, despite representing 13.5% of the population, African Americans accounted for 33% of the 651,226 people whose names were entered into the national missing person database in 2017, including 169,426 children;

WHEREAS, researchers have found that several media outlets are more likely to cover missing white women and girls and will cover the cases with more intensity than when the missing person is African-American;

WHEREAS, each year thousands of African-American families are left wondering what has happened to their loved ones who have sometimes been missing for decades;

WHEREAS, searches for missing people can be delayed because many states do not have an alert system for missing persons unless they are children or senior citizens; and

WHEREAS, according to the Black and Missing Foundation, as of 2014, more than 64,000 black women and girls remain missing across the United States, and many people of color are initially considered runaways severely impeding and delaying the search for and recovery of the missing person.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) encourages town hall meetings with lawmakers, law enforcement, justice department officials, and child advocate groups regarding missing black women and their children to educate and motivate more action on finding them;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL insists that all media coverage be equal regardless of race so that African American missing women and children’ families are treated fairly in the lime of their greatest need;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL urges State governments to create a comprehensive notification and alert systems for all missing persons regardless of race, color, or age;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NBCSL advocates for more federal funding to be allocated to agencies, groups, and organizations for the purpose of researching and locating missing women and children of color; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the NBCSL send a copy of this resolution to the President of the United States, the Vice President of the United States, members of Congress, and other federal and state government officials as appropriate.

• SPONSOR: Representative Brenda Gilmore (TN)
• Committee of Jurisdiction: Law, Justice, and Ethics Policy Committee
• Certified by Committee Chair: Representative Reginald Meeks (KY)
• Ratified in Plenary Session: Ratification Date is November 30, 2018
• Ratification is certified by: Representative Gregory W. Porter (IN), President