Ohio House Passes Resolution Urging Federal Action to Connect NCIC and NamUs Systems

COLUMBUS-State Representatives Kevin Ritter (R-Marietta) and Christine Cockley (D-Columbus) today announced that the Ohio House passed House Resolution 227 - a measure urging the United States Department of Justice to expedite the connection between the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) databases.

The resolution refers to the Help Find the Missing Act, otherwise known as Billy's Law, which requires the United States Department of Justice to connect the NCIC and NamUs databases to allow the automatic transfer of missing persons case information between law enforcement and families.

The resolution accompanies House Bill 217, also sponsored by Representatives Ritter and Cockley, which would mandate Ohio law enforcement officers to enter missing persons information into NamUs within 30 days. Without this measure, officers must manually input data into multiple systems, with potential of causing unnecessary delays and errors.

"I am glad to see this resolution pass in an overwhelming, bipartisan fashion. I am hopeful the Department of Justice will now work to integrate NCIC and NamUs databases," said Ritter. "A completed integration would make other measures, such as the potential in HB 217, even more effective to find missing persons or provide closure for their loved ones."

House Resolution 227 is now adopted.