STATE OF NEW JERSEY
219th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2020 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman RALPH R. CAPUTO
District 28 (Essex)
Assemblywoman VALERIE VAINIERI HUTTLE
District 37 (Bergen)
SYNOPSIS
"Caylee's Law;" requires missing child be reported within 12 hours.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning certain missing persons, designated as Caylee's Law, and supplementing Title 2C of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Every person shall report to a law enforcement agency any child that is missing within 12 hours of when the person knows or should have known of the child's disappearance. A person who fails to report a missing child within this period shall be guilty of a crime of the fourth degree.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would require a person to report a missing child to police within 12 hours of when they knew or should have known of the child's disappearance. A person who violates this provision is guilty of a crime of the fourth degree. Fourth degree crimes are punishable by imprisonment of up to 18 months, a fine of up to $10,000, or both.
This bill is in response to the Casey Anthony case, in which Casey Anthony was found not guilty of killing her daughter, Caylee. Caylee was not reported as missing until 31 days after she disappeared.