The Colorado legislature passed legislation Wednesday that aims to improve missing persons investigations, especially those involving women from marginalized groups.
If enacted, Senate Bill 95 would shorten the timeframe before a person can be reported missing from 24 hours to two hours for minors and eight hours for adults. The bill would also require state law enforcement to collect and report data and trends regarding missing women and girls from marginalized groups, including people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals and older adults.
“Too many missing people, especially people of color, are not getting the justice they deserve because their cases are severely underreported and under investigated,” said bill sponsor Rep. Jennifer Bacon, D-Denver. “We need to rework the system so we can get justice for these victims.”
Nationally, women of color are disproportionately victims of crimes, such as homicide and domestic violence. In 2020, one-third of the nearly 300,000 girls and women reported missing in the U.S. were Black, according to the National Crime Information Center.
The state House of Representatives passed the bill in a 46-17 vote Wednesday. The Senate approved the measure, 33-1, earlier this month. All legislators who voted against the bill are Republican, with some raising issue that the bill doesn’t lower the 24-hour time limit for state facilities to report children missing under their care.
Other opponents, such as Douglas County Republican Sen. Chris Holbert, said the bill is unfair for its emphasis on marginalized women.
“I’m not opposed to ‘improving missing persons investigations,’ which is the title of the bill. I am, however, reluctant to support unequal protection under the law,” said Holbert, who serves as Senate Minority Leader. “Treating some people differently than others isn’t equal protection and/or equal application of law.”
Supporters of the bill argue that protection under the law is already unequal.
Bill sponsor Sen. Rhonda Fields, D-Aurora, said the bill is partially inspired by Aaroné Thompson, a 6-year-old Black girl who went missing in Aurora.
Thompson’s father reported her as a runaway in 2005, though investigators believe she may have died up to two years before the report. Thompson’s body was never found, and her father wasn’t convicted for her death until 2009.
“We need to get serious about helping victims and their families get the justice they deserve,” said Rep. Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, D-Denver, who is also sponsoring the bill. “For too many, justice and resolution to their cases has taken far too long, especially for Black, Indigenous and women of color who are missing.”
If enacted, the bill would also require law enforcement to accept missing person reports for any Coloradan or person last believed to be in Colorado, not just within their jurisdiction. Reports could be submitted over the phone or electronically.
