Help Bring Missing Endangered People With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Home Safely

Friends and Advocates,

We need your help to advance Senate Bill 6070, a critical public safety bill that strengthens Washington’s ability to quickly and safely locate missing endangered persons.When someone who is vulnerable goes missing, time matters. SB 6070 ensures families and law enforcement have clear standards, narrow authority, and strong oversight to act quickly when lives are at risk—without expanding surveillance or weakening privacy protections.

Why SB 6070 Matters

• Clear standards for danger Families and law enforcement currently lack consistent guidance on when a missing person is truly endangered. SB 6070 clearly defines high-risk situations, including when someone has a developmental disability, dementia, serious mental health crisis, suicidal ideation, or other conditions that prevent safe self-care.
• Faster action when it counts The bill clarifies when courts may authorize rapid action to locate a missing endangered person, ensuring help is not delayed by uncertainty during life-threatening situations.
• Focus on the most vulnerable SB 6070 centers those at the greatest risk when missing, including minors, vulnerable adults, people with developmental disabilities, individuals experiencing acute mental health crises, and people with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias.
• Strong guardrails and accountability This bill includes strict limits on how tools may be used, requires court approval or rapid post-use judicial review in emergencies, limits data collection to what is necessary, and requires deletion of non-relevant information. The focus remains on recovery and safety, not surveillance.

Public Hearing Details

Committee: Senate Law and Justice Committee
Date: Tuesday, January 20
Time: 8:00 AM
Location: Remote (Zoom) or In Person (Olympia)

Strong constituent support is essential to move this bill forward.

3 Ways You Can Support SB 6070

You can click each option to be taken directly to the webpage for each option!

1. Note Your Support Here (Fastest Option)

• Select “I would like my position noted for the legislative record.”
  
• Choose “Pro”
  

Deadline: At least 1 hour before the hearing

2. Submit Written Testimony Here

• Select “I would like to submit written testimony.”
• Share why this bill matters to you or your family
• Deadline: Up to 24 hours after the hearing

3. Testify at the Hearing (Most Impactful)

• Select “I would like to testify during the hearing”
  
• Testify via Zoom or in person
  

Deadline: At least 1 hour before the hearing

Need Help Writing Testimony?

You can start with one of these statements and make it your own:

• “I worry about what would happen if my loved one went missing during a crisis, and I support SB 6070 because…”
  
• “I need to know there is a clear system to help find my loved one quickly if they go missing because…”
  
• “Time is critical when someone is missing, and I support SB 6070 because narrowly tailored tools with oversight can save lives.”
  
• “My biggest fear is my loved one not being found in time, and I support SB 6070 because this bill closes the gap between danger and response.”
  

4. Contact your own legislators (https://app.leg.wa.gov/districtfinder) and ask for their support of this bill, if you don’t know what to say, try:

“My name is (Your name) and I am your constituent. This bill is very important to me and my family. I worry about what would happen if my loved one went missing during a crisis, and I support SB 6070. I ask that you please support this bill when it is before you and vote “YES” on it! Thank you for your consideration. (Sign your letter with your full name and your full address.)

“My name is (your name), and I am your constituent from (your city). This bill is important to me and my family. I worry about what would happen if my loved one went missing during a crisis, and I support SB 6070 and ask that you please vote yes when it comes before you. Thank you for your consideration. (Sign with your full name and full address.)”

Thank you for standing up for vulnerable individuals and the families who depend on a system that works when it matters most.

If you have questions or need support submitting testimony, please contact WAA Legislative Advocacy Fellow Kate Sargeant