TITLE
RESOLUTION URGING CONGRESS AND THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE TO PASS CAYLEE�S LAW MAKING IT A FELONY NOT TO REPORT A MISSING CHILD TO LAW ENFORCEMENT WITHIN 24 TO 48 HOURS

BODY
WHEREAS, on July 5, 2011, a jury found Orlando resident Casey Anthony not guilty of murdering her 2-year old daughter Caylee in a controversial verdict that triggered a national debate; and
WHEREAS, the jury did find Casey Anthony guilty of four counts of providing false information to law enforcement officials, but these offenses were misdemeanors that each carried a maximum sentence of one year in prison; and
WHEREAS, Caylee was last seen on June 16, 2008, but her mother Casey never reported her missing; and
WHEREAS, it was Caylee�s grandmother that eventually reported her missing on July�15, 2008, a full month later; and
WHEREAS, over 1.2 million people nationwide have signed petitions urging Congress to pass Caylee�s Law that would make it a felony not to report a missing child to law enforcement within 24 hours; and
WHEREAS, while bills may be filed in Congress, this issue is probably more likely to be addressed at the state level; and
WHEREAS, bills have been filed for consideration during the 2012 state legislative session, HB 37 by Representative Jose Felix Diaz (R � Miami) and HB 49 by Representative Bill Hager (R � Boca Raton), entitled Caylee�s Law; and
WHEREAS, HB 37 would make it a second degree felony for a caregiver to fail to report to law enforcement that:
1. A child 12 years of age or younger is missing within 48 hours; or
2. A child has died within two hours after learning of the location of the corpse; and
WHEREAS, HB 37 also would make it second degree felony for a caregiver to give false information to a law enforcement conducting a missing person investigation or a felony criminal investigation involving a minor child in the caregiver�s care; and
WHEREAS, HB 49 includes similar provisions; and
WHEREAS, this Board supports passage of Caylee�s Law,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that this Board:
Section 1. Urges Congress and the Florida Legislature to pass Caylee�s Law making it a felony not to report a missing child to law enforcement within 24 to 48 hours.
Section 2. Directs the Clerk of the Board to transmit a certified copy of this resolution to the members of the Florida Congressional Delegation, the Governor, Senate President, House Speaker, and the Chair and Members of the Miami-Dade County State Legislative Delegation.
Section 3. Directs the County's federal and state lobbyists to advocate for the legislation set forth in Section 1 above, and authorizes and directs the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs to amend the 2011 and 2012 Federal Legislative Packages and the 2012 State Legislative Package to include this item.