A new Wyoming law aimed at improving the handling of missing person cases will take effect on July 1, 2025, County 10 reports.
Governor Mark Gordon is set to sign SF0114 into law today, requiring law enforcement agencies to accept and process credible missing person reports more efficiently.
Under the new legislation, law enforcement must immediately accept credible reports of missing persons, with only a few exceptions. Once a report is filed, agencies are required to enter the information into national, regional, and state databases within eight hours. If the individual remains missing for 30 days, authorities must compile a detailed case record and submit it to the Wyoming Attorney General’s office and Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) for inclusion in the state’s missing persons database. Additionally, law enforcement must consider using media and social media alerts to assist in search efforts.
The bill was introduced by Senator Bill Landen (R-Casper), who highlighted Wyoming’s lack of a consistent statewide process for handling missing person reports. The legislation aims to streamline procedures and ensure cases are taken seriously from the moment they are reported.
However, the law does allow agencies to reject a report under certain conditions. If a person’s safety is confirmed, they were last seen outside of Wyoming, another agency has taken the case, or if the report lacks a valid concern, law enforcement may decline to pursue it. Other factors, such as voluntary disappearance, may also be considered. Notably, the law does not define what qualifies as a “credible” missing person report.
Nicole Wagon, a Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) advocate from Fremont County, testified in support of the legislation, emphasizing its importance for Indigenous communities. She pointed out that Indigenous people face disproportionately high rates of violence and disappearances, yet their cases often do not receive adequate attention.
“But this isn’t just an Indigenous issue,” Wagon stated. “It’s something that affects families across Wyoming. No one should have to navigate a confusing or inconsistent system when they’re trying to bring a loved one home.”
