North Carolina Transfers Center for Missing Persons to the State Highway Patrol

Original title: Center for Missing Persons to Highway Patrol.

Last action · May 8, 2025: Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate (Senate action)Sponsors: Charlie Miller and 4 others

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Law

Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.

Public stanceCommunity reactions are separate from the official record and reporting.

What This Bill Would Do

The General Assembly of North Carolina transfers the North Carolina Center for Missing Persons from the Department of Public Safety to the State Highway Patrol through a , placing center operations and emergency alert systems under the control of the Commander of the State Highway Patrol.

Why it matters

Changes administrative oversight for statewide emergency alert programs—including AMBER, Silver, Blue, and Ashanti alerts—shifting command authority from the Department of Public Safety secretary to the State Highway Patrol commander.

Who It Would Affect

Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

State Highway Patrol

Assumes administrative control, staffing oversight, and rule-making authority for the Center for Missing Persons and statewide emergency alert systems.

Directly affected

Department of Public Safety

Relinquishes administrative control and oversight responsibilities over the Center for Missing Persons to the State Highway Patrol.

Directly affected

Law enforcement agencies

Must coordinate missing person reports and emergency alerts through the reorganized Center under State Highway Patrol administration.

Key Facts

The North Carolina Center for Missing Persons is transferred from the Department of Public Safety to the State Highway Patrol via a Type I transfer under G.S. 143A-6.
Control and direction of the Center shift from the Secretary of the Department of Public Safety to the Commander of the State Highway Patrol.
Statutory provisions governing the Center, including the AMBER Alert, Silver Alert, Blue Alert, Missing Endangered Alert, Ashanti Alert, and Missing – Weather Alert systems, are recodified under Article 17 of Chapter 143B.
The Center continues to operate a toll-free telephone line for reporting missing individuals or sightings of missing children and persons.

Show all 8 facts

Law enforcement agencies must notify the Center and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children as soon as practicable upon receiving a qualifying missing child report.
Unauthorized and knowing release of data or records by personnel working under the Director of Victims and Justice Services is classified as a Class 2 misdemeanor.
The State Highway Patrol is authorized to accept grants, contributions, devises, and gifts into a separate, nonreverting fund to support the Center and AMBER Alert System.
The State Highway Patrol is authorized to adopt rules using the expedited procedure set forth in G.S. 150B-21.1.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which agency now oversees the North Carolina Center for Missing Persons?

The State Highway Patrol assumes administrative control and direction of the Center.

What happens to existing emergency alert systems like AMBER and Silver Alerts?

The established alert systems are maintained and recodified under the administrative authority of the State Highway Patrol.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Follow the record

Votes, people, money & the original source

Where This Stands

Currently passed chamber. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Law.

Procedural history

16 actions

May 8, 2025Senate
Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate
May 8, 2025Senate
Passed 1st Reading
May 8, 2025Senate
Special Message Received From House
May 8, 2025House
Special Message Sent To Senate
May 7, 2025House
Passed 3rd Reading
May 7, 2025House
Passed 2nd Reading

Show 10 earlier actions

May 7, 2025House
Added to Calendar
May 7, 2025House
Cal Pursuant Rule 36(b)
May 7, 2025House
Reptd Fav
May 6, 2025House
Re-ref Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
May 6, 2025House
Reptd Fav
Apr 30, 2025House
Re-ref Com On State and Local Government
Apr 30, 2025House
Reptd Fav Com Substitute
Apr 3, 2025House
Ref to the Com on Emergency Management and Disaster Recovery, if favorable, State and Local Government, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
Apr 3, 2025House
Passed 1st Reading
Apr 2, 2025HouseIntroduced
Filed

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →