Senate perfects bill to create 'Phoenix alert' and an office for missing and murdered African American women and girls

Senators perfected a substitute for SB 1652 after the sponsor described a new alert system and a proposed office focused on missing and murdered African American women and girls.

The senator from the thirteenth said the substitute adds a "Phoenix alert," which would be issued roughly an hour after a person has been reported missing in specified circumstances, and creates an Office of Missing and Murdered African American Women and Girls. She said the family of a missing young woman named Phoenix supports the proposal.

Supporters described the measure as a public-safety and equity response for cases involving missing persons and specifically name an alert for a missing young woman called Phoenix who has been missing since 2011. The sponsor said the family had been consulted and supports the alert's use.

The senate committee substitute was declared perfected and ordered printed by voice vote; the transcript does not record a numerical roll-call tally. The bill will continue through the legislative process for final passage and any subsequent implementation steps.

Next steps: The substitute was perfected and printed; sponsors and affected families will likely continue outreach during committee and implementation planning.