Found Deceased NJ - Patricia Viola, 42, Bogota, 13 Feb 2001

North Jersey Media Group providing local news, sports & classifieds for Northern New Jersey!

Missing woman's kin inspire bill
Wednesday, October 25, 2006

By MICHAEL J. FEENEY
SPECIAL TO THE RECORD

BOGOTA -- More than five years after a 42-year-old borough woman went missing, her husband has joined forces with state and local officials to propose legislation geared toward improving how New Jersey agencies handle missing persons cases.

State Sen. Loretta Weinberg, D-Teaneck, stood on the front lawn of Jim Viola's home recently to rally support for "Patricia's Law," legislation named for his wife that would enhance the system of notifying families of missing persons and work to improve procedures for identifying human remains that may help solve such cases.

New Jersey adds to the growing list of states embracing such legislation. Colorado, Wyoming and the District of Columbia have already passed laws bolstering procedures surrounding missing persons cases, and more than 25 states are considering similar measures, said Kelly Jolkowski, founder and president of ProjectJason.org, a non-profit missing persons organization.

Please continue to read at the link provided.

(Project Jason was included in the interview since this legislation effort comes from their Campaign for the Missing, a grass roots effort to pass this law in all 50 states. Please see Project Jason-Voice for the Missing: 12/13/05 Campaign for the Missing 2006 for more information about this volunteer effort.)
 
We are gaining some steam for "Patricia's Law" which has now been introduced in both the NJ Senate (S2255) and the NJ Assembly (A3643) in the past 3 weeks and assigned to respective committees. The committee meetings are coming up in a few weeks and I plan on testifying at these public discussions.

The following video link is the News 12 New Jersey coverage which ran on Oct. 30-31, 2006 at 7PM, 8PM, 9PM then another version at 10:30PM every hour into late morning the next day:

http://www.patriciaviolamissing.homestead.com/News12_NJ_Patricias_Law_Oct_30_2006.wmv

The Bergen News (weekly) covered "Patricia's Law" in two of their editions on Nov. 1, 2006. This covered around 15 towns in Bergen County where we live. See link below to article which contains other important links:

http://www.patriciaviolamissing.homestead.com/Patricias_Law_Bergen_News_Article_Nov_1_2006.pdf

Thanks for everyones continued support and encouragement !

Warmly,
Jim Viola
 
Bumping for yet another anniversary coming up.

Prayers and thought are with Pat Viola, her loving husband, family and friends.

They have never given up looking for answers and have helped so many others along this nightmare of a journey.

My heartfelt thanks for all your good work.

Bless you all.
 
How sad for this husband and their children. Five years and they know nothing more than they did the day she disappeared. I feel so bad for them.
I wish somehow they would find this lady so that this family could find some peace of mind.
 
From our friend, Jim Viola:

"Everyone,

As you know my wife, Patricia Viola, will be missing 6 years this coming Tuesday, 2/13/07. Yesterday I taped an interview with NY1/Time Warner (Channel 10 in parts of NJ and TBD in NY) for their Week in Review Show. It will air today, Sat, 2/10/07 and tomorrow, Sun 2/11/07, at 5:30 PM, 7:30 PM and 9 PM each day (6x total). They did record photos and the latest video of Pat that I brought.

In addition, on Tuesday, 2/13/07, I will be on an internet radio talk show, "Missing Pieces". To listen, go to WCAN RADIO from 8-9 PM EST for 1 hour live discussing the case, the proposed "Patricia's Law" we have in the NJ State Legislature and other Missing Person issues. Please try to tune in by going to the above web site, turning up your speakers and selecting "tune in".

As always, please continue to pray for Pat's safe return and pray for us to have the strength and resolve to find her. The reward of $10,000 is still available for Pat's safe return but unless we can do better on our fund raisers (Shirts) and more pens coming soon, the reward may have to be eliminated.

To make a donation to help maintain the reward and allow us to order more flyers, buttons, etc go to:
Donations

For more information on Patricia, go to our web site:
Index - Patricia Viola Missing Mom - Bogota, NJ 2/13/01

PLEASE CALL ANY TIPS TO THE BOGOTA POLICE AT 201-487-2400. You do not have
to leave your name.


To visit our message board, where ideas and well wishes can be posted go to:
Missing My Wife Pat Viola - Last Seen Feb. 13, 2001 - Home

To download a flyer go to:
http://www.patriciaviolamissing.homestead.com/MISSING_PAT_10K_REWARD_Rev_h.pdf

To download a banner go to:
http://www.patriciaviolamissing.homestead.com/Patricia_Viola_Yard_Sign_org.jpg

For more information about the proposed "Patricia's Law" go to:
Patricias_Law
We need NJ residents to write to their NJ State District Senators and NJ Assemblymen and woman to ask them to become more family with "Patricia's Law" and to sponsor it. Sample letters available on Pat's web site.

To watch videos of Pat go to:
Video_Collection

Thank you.
With Hope,
Jim and family"
 
From our friend, Jim Viola:

"Everyone,

As you know my wife, Patricia Viola, will be missing 6 years this coming Tuesday, 2/13/07. Yesterday I taped an interview with NY1/Time Warner (Channel 10 in parts of NJ and TBD in NY) for their Week in Review Show. It will air today, Sat, 2/10/07 and tomorrow, Sun 2/11/07, at 5:30 PM, 7:30 PM and 9 PM each day (6x total). They did record photos and the latest video of Pat that I brought.

In addition, on Tuesday, 2/13/07, I will be on an internet radio talk show, "Missing Pieces". To listen, go to WCAN RADIO from 8-9 PM EST for 1 hour live discussing the case, the proposed "Patricia's Law" we have in the NJ State Legislature and other Missing Person issues. Please try to tune in by going to the above web site, turning up your speakers and selecting "tune in".

As always, please continue to pray for Pat's safe return and pray for us to have the strength and resolve to find her. The reward of $10,000 is still available for Pat's safe return but unless we can do better on our fund raisers (Shirts) and more pens coming soon, the reward may have to be eliminated.

To make a donation to help maintain the reward and allow us to order more flyers, buttons, etc go to:
Donations

For more information on Patricia, go to our web site:
Index - Patricia Viola Missing Mom - Bogota, NJ 2/13/01

PLEASE CALL ANY TIPS TO THE BOGOTA POLICE AT 201-487-2400. You do not have
to leave your name.


To visit our message board, where ideas and well wishes can be posted go to:
Missing My Wife Pat Viola - Last Seen Feb. 13, 2001 - Home

To download a flyer go to:
http://www.patriciaviolamissing.homestead.com/MISSING_PAT_10K_REWARD_Rev_h.pdf

To download a banner go to:
http://www.patriciaviolamissing.homestead.com/Patricia_Viola_Yard_Sign_org.jpg

For more information about the proposed "Patricia's Law" go to:
Patricias_Law
We need NJ residents to write to their NJ State District Senators and NJ Assemblymen and woman to ask them to become more family with "Patricia's Law" and to sponsor it. Sample letters available on Pat's web site.

To watch videos of Pat go to:
Video_Collection

Thank you.
With Hope,
Jim and family"
 
A Message from the Family:

"On Monday, 2/26/07, I will be going to Trenton, NJ, to testify on "Patricia's Law", S2255 for the Senate Committee, Law and Public Safety and Veterans' Affairs. S2255 has been added to the agenda and I will be there on Monday to help expedite its passage through the Senate Committee.

http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/BillsForAgendaView.asp

The next step would be to push the Assembly version of "Patricia's Law", A3643, in the Assembly Committee for Law and Public Safety. We need to get A3643 on the committee's agenda.

Jim"
 
A Message from the Family:

"On Monday, 2/26/07, I will be going to Trenton, NJ, to testify on "Patricia's Law", S2255 for the Senate Committee, Law and Public Safety and Veterans' Affairs. S2255 has been added to the agenda and I will be there on Monday to help expedite its passage through the Senate Committee.

http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/BillsForAgendaView.asp

The next step would be to push the Assembly version of "Patricia's Law", A3643, in the Assembly Committee for Law and Public Safety. We need to get A3643 on the committee's agenda.

Jim"
 
Visit us on the World Wide Web at: www.njsendems.com

FOR RELEASE: Immediate CONTACT: Cara Noel
February 23, 2007 Tel: (609) 292-5215

** MEDIA ADVISORY**

SENATE LAW & PUBLIC SAFETY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER PATRICIA'S LAW MONDAY


TRENTON - The Senate Law & Public Safety and Veterans Affairs Committee will meet on Monday at 1 p.m. in Committee Room 4 of the State House Annex to consider a list of bills including Patricia's Law, a measure aimed at helping law enforcement personnel locate and safely return missing persons to their families.

The bill is named for Patricia Viola, a woman who disappeared from the kitchen of her Bogota home in 2001. Patricia's husband Jim Viola is scheduled to testify before the Committee during Mondays meeting.

Senator Weinberg's bill, S-2255, is designed to help law enforcement locate missing persons, to enhance the current system of notifying families of missing persons, and to work to improve the process for identifying human remains.

The proposed legislation reflects model missing persons legislation proposed by the National Criminal Justice Reference Service, a federally funded resource center created to support research, legislation and program development for criminal justice.

Assemblywoman Vainieri Huttle and Assemblyman Gordon M. Johnson, D-Englewood and Teaneck have sponsored identical legislation in the Assembly.

The legislators held a news conference with Patricia's husband Jim on October 19th at the Violas home.


Our thoughts and special prayers are with Jim as he goes before the committee.
 
Visit us on the World Wide Web at: www.njsendems.com

FOR RELEASE: Immediate CONTACT: Cara Noel
February 23, 2007 Tel: (609) 292-5215

** MEDIA ADVISORY**

SENATE LAW & PUBLIC SAFETY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER PATRICIA'S LAW MONDAY


TRENTON - The Senate Law & Public Safety and Veterans Affairs Committee will meet on Monday at 1 p.m. in Committee Room 4 of the State House Annex to consider a list of bills including Patricia's Law, a measure aimed at helping law enforcement personnel locate and safely return missing persons to their families.

The bill is named for Patricia Viola, a woman who disappeared from the kitchen of her Bogota home in 2001. Patricia's husband Jim Viola is scheduled to testify before the Committee during Mondays meeting.

Senator Weinberg's bill, S-2255, is designed to help law enforcement locate missing persons, to enhance the current system of notifying families of missing persons, and to work to improve the process for identifying human remains.

The proposed legislation reflects model missing persons legislation proposed by the National Criminal Justice Reference Service, a federally funded resource center created to support research, legislation and program development for criminal justice.

Assemblywoman Vainieri Huttle and Assemblyman Gordon M. Johnson, D-Englewood and Teaneck have sponsored identical legislation in the Assembly.

The legislators held a news conference with Patricia's husband Jim on October 19th at the Violas home.


Our thoughts and special prayers are with Jim as he goes before the committee.
 
Congratulations to Jim Viola for his progress with Patricia's Law in NJ:

Visit us on the World Wide Web at: www.njsendems.com

FOR RELEASE: Immediate CONTACT: Cara Noel
February 26, 2007


WEINBERG'S "PATRICIA'S LAW' CLEARS SENATE LAW & PUBLIC SAFETY AND VETERANS' AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

TRENTON--- A measure sponsored by Senator Loretta Weinberg known as "Patricia's Law", which would work to help law enforcement personnel locate and safely return missing persons to their families was unanimously approved today by the Senate Law & Public Safety and Veterans' Affairs Committee.

The legislation is named for Patricia Viola, a Bogota woman who disappeared from her kitchen in 2001. The case is considered high risk because Patricia takes medication to control her epilepsy. Patricia's husband, Jim Viola, was present at today's meeting, and he testified before the committee.

"I am in favor of "Patricia's Law" which is named after my wife, because I am hoping it will enhance missing persons reporting. I hope that the legislation would work to improve communication within families, to improve death scene investigations and, most importantly, to give priority to missing people who are high risk," said Jim Viola.

"This legislation is about providing hope when a family member goes missing," said Senator Weinberg, D-Bergen. "Hope is what helps keep families like the Violas going. Mr. Viola has been a tireless advocate for this legislation because he knows firsthand how it feels to lose a loved one; to not know whether or not they're even ok. I believe that we owe it to families like the Violas to do everything we can to help them safely locate their missing family members in a timely, organized manner."

Senator Weinberg's bill, S-2255, would outline the best practices and protocols law enforcement should follow when handling missing person cases, identifying human remains and in providing timely information to the families on the status of investigations. The bill would also recognize some of the new technologies such as DNA testing which can help find or identify missing persons.

In high risk cases, law enforcement would be required to enter a missing persons report in to the National Crime Information Center database within two hours of the initial filing. All other missing persons cases would be investigated within 24 hours of their initial filing.

The proposed legislation reflects model missing persons legislation proposed by the National Criminal Justice Reference Service, a federally funded resource center created to support research, legislation and program development for criminal justice.

Assemblywoman Vainieri Huttle and Assemblyman Gordon M. Johnson, D-Englewood and Teaneck have sponsored identical legislation in the Assembly.

This bill now heads to the full Senate for approval.
 
Congratulations to Jim Viola for his progress with Patricia's Law in NJ:

Visit us on the World Wide Web at: www.njsendems.com

FOR RELEASE: Immediate CONTACT: Cara Noel
February 26, 2007


WEINBERG'S "PATRICIA'S LAW' CLEARS SENATE LAW & PUBLIC SAFETY AND VETERANS' AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

TRENTON--- A measure sponsored by Senator Loretta Weinberg known as "Patricia's Law", which would work to help law enforcement personnel locate and safely return missing persons to their families was unanimously approved today by the Senate Law & Public Safety and Veterans' Affairs Committee.

The legislation is named for Patricia Viola, a Bogota woman who disappeared from her kitchen in 2001. The case is considered high risk because Patricia takes medication to control her epilepsy. Patricia's husband, Jim Viola, was present at today's meeting, and he testified before the committee.

"I am in favor of "Patricia's Law" which is named after my wife, because I am hoping it will enhance missing persons reporting. I hope that the legislation would work to improve communication within families, to improve death scene investigations and, most importantly, to give priority to missing people who are high risk," said Jim Viola.

"This legislation is about providing hope when a family member goes missing," said Senator Weinberg, D-Bergen. "Hope is what helps keep families like the Violas going. Mr. Viola has been a tireless advocate for this legislation because he knows firsthand how it feels to lose a loved one; to not know whether or not they're even ok. I believe that we owe it to families like the Violas to do everything we can to help them safely locate their missing family members in a timely, organized manner."

Senator Weinberg's bill, S-2255, would outline the best practices and protocols law enforcement should follow when handling missing person cases, identifying human remains and in providing timely information to the families on the status of investigations. The bill would also recognize some of the new technologies such as DNA testing which can help find or identify missing persons.

In high risk cases, law enforcement would be required to enter a missing persons report in to the National Crime Information Center database within two hours of the initial filing. All other missing persons cases would be investigated within 24 hours of their initial filing.

The proposed legislation reflects model missing persons legislation proposed by the National Criminal Justice Reference Service, a federally funded resource center created to support research, legislation and program development for criminal justice.

Assemblywoman Vainieri Huttle and Assemblyman Gordon M. Johnson, D-Englewood and Teaneck have sponsored identical legislation in the Assembly.

This bill now heads to the full Senate for approval.
 
Bumping for Patricia and all the good work that Jim and his family do. Bless you all!
 
Everyone,
Please read below article. The article appeared in several local papers, including Bogota, Ridgefield Park, Teaneck, Little Ferry and Hackensack. As pointed out in the article, we need NJ residents to write letters (sample letter available on Pat's website) to their State Assemblymen and Assemblywoman to request their support for "Patricia's Law" - Assembly Bill A3643, when it comes up for vote at the end of this year. "Patricia's Law" promises to revamp the way Missing Persons cases are handled in NJ. Presently, with the exception of an obsolete Missing Persons Policy under the NJ State Police, there are no laws or statures governing the handling of Missing Persons in NJ. The Missing Persons Policy under the NJ State Police was last updated in the 80's.

If we do not pass A3643 before 12/31/07, the current state legislative session will end and we will have to start over. New Jersey cannot allow this to happen.

For more information on "Patricia's Law" see:
http://www.patriciaviolamissing.homestead.com/Patricias_Law.html

Click here for the latest version of "Patricia's Law" - A3643 (Model Missing Persons Legislation):
http://www.patriciaviolamissing.homestead.com/3643_U2.pdf

Click here to find the NJ district you reside in:
http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/districts/municipalities.asp

Click here to find your legislator (remember Assembly only, we already passed the Senate):
http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/legsearch.asp


BOGOTA BULLETIN
Friday, July 20, 2007

Hope is the best of things
"Patricia's Law" to go before State Assembly
BY ROBIN DECICCO
Staff Writer

Six and a half years since his wife’s disappearance; Bogota resident Jim Viola continues to channel both his hopes and frustrations into “Patricia’s Law," a legislation focused on improving the way New Jersey agencies handle missing persons cases. Already passed in the Senate, the proposal will be on the Assembly’s plate in the fall.
The law is named after Patricia Viola, who vanished from a Bogota neighborhood Feb. 13, 2001. She was a 42-year-old mother and homemaker when she was reported missing without a trace.
According to the New Jersey State Police Missing Persons Unit, since 2000, New Jersey has approximately 1,700 active unsolved missing persons cases; Patricia’s case is one of them. Viola explained that throughout the past several years, he has heard “horror stories” from several families that are also searching for missing people, saying that many police agencies are not helpful in this situation.
Fortunately for Viola, the Bogota Police Department, under the direction of Chief Frank Gurnari and Det. James Sepp, has been very responsive to the case. Viola refers to the relationship he has with the police department as “a good one," and one in which they “work together” to try and solve the case.
"After Pat disappeared, I started to talk to people who are going through the same thing and families have told me that police sometimes don’t even take reports of a missing person, nor do they follow through with the investigation;" Viola said.
The more Viola heard those stories, the more he knew that he needed to address the holes that existed in the legal and federal systems. In 2006, .Viola contacted State Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Teaneck) and requested support on what was then called the “Model Missing Persons' Legislation." He emphasized to Weinberg that the law strives to give hope to families of missing persons and keeps them actively engaged in the search and rescue efforts.
After hard work, on June 21, 2007, “Patricia’s Law” was unanimously passed, 37-0, in the New Jersey Senate. The Assembly Appropriations Committee will review the legislation in November.
Viola is urging residents to help him and the thousands other families who are searching for their missing loved ones to pass "Patricia’s Law." He created a Web site, http://www.patriciaviolamissing.homestead.com, that contains extensive background information on his wife, and he tells visitors how they can help pass the law.

Patricia’s Law
Residents can write letters to their district assembly representative and voice their support when. “Patricia’s Law” comes to vote later this year. Under this legislation, law enforcement agencies shall accept without delay any report of a missing person and cannot refuse to accept such reports for any reason.
One of the more important elements to this legislative is that medical examiners and coroners will be required to work with the state police to promptly identify recovered bodies and body parts.
In addition, if a person is missing for more than 30 days, “Patricia’s Law” requires that a DNA reference sample is secured from the family and forwarded to the appropriate agency for analysis and entry into the Combined DNA Index System for Missing Persons. Once the DNA profile is available, the missing persons record in the National Crime Information System will be updated to reflect that DNA is available.
Though the legislation is on the verge of passing, Viola said he is no closer to where he was six and a half years ago to finding his wife.
“So many possibilities exist to explain what might have happened to her, and we have no evidence to prove anything;" Viola said.
According to Viola, Patricia has epilepsy, a seizure disorder, which caused her to take two types of medication daily, including Dilantin and Phenobarbital. VioIa and the Bogota Police Department believe that Patricia had not taken her medication since she disappeared -- her prescription has not been used in any participating pharmacy in the country
One of Viola’s theories explaining Patricia’s disappearance is that she may have had a seizure leaving her disoriented and with amnesia.
"She could be in a hospital or a ward and have no idea who she is. She could be a Jane Doe:" Viola said.
Viola and his children, Christine, 19, and Michael, 16, have sent flyers to numerous hospitals, shelters, and crisis centers. A letter was even written to Patricia and inserted into an envelope with her name, photo and description on it. These were brought to shelters in the area with instructions to deliver it to Patricia or a person matching her description, but no responses were ever received.
When Patricia disappeared, she was on foot and did not have access to a car. She was last seen at the Bixby School library, volunteering at her son Michael’s school.
The last person who saw her was the Palisade Avenue crossing guard. Days after Patricia’s disappearance, drivers and pedestrians were stopped on local streets and asked for any information, but no one had any leads.
Viola has pasted flyers with his wife’s picture and information throughout New Jersey, as well as in states across the country. He is offering a $10,000 reward to anyone who can provide information leading to Patricia’s safe return home.
Pictures of Patricia are glued to the front of Viola’s home and flyers
pressed up against the windows of a his car. Everywhere he goes, he passes out buttons that read, “Where is Patricia Viola?”
"I am trying to do everything that I can, but it is frustrating that we still have no clues, no answers," Viola said.
Similarly, Sepp said that there are so many possibilities of where Patricia might be, but there are no ways of validating any one possibility.
“This case will be opened until it is solved,” Sepp said. “If it still isn’t solved by the time I retire, I will see to it that the person who replaces me puts time and energy into the case."
At the same time that Viola thinks his wife could be in a hospital or shelter, he also acknowledges that the worst could have occurred.
“She could have been grabbed or put into an unknown vehicle,” Viola said.

Puttinq the word out
Today, Viola continues to spread the message that missing persons is a national problem. According to the National Institute of Justice, on any given day there are 100,000 active missing persons cases in the United States. Viola believes the number indicates that a lot of people are getting away with murder, since the majority of missing persons equates to the fact that they were killed.
“This number should alarm all of us. I don’t know why more people aren’t concerned about how many go missing every single day and how many murderers there are walking around;" Viola said.
As far as thinking about seeing his wife again, Viola said that he thinks it is a possibility that she will be found.
"We’re praying for a miracle."
 
Just curious, are there any leads whatsoever, anything? I dont necessarily believe in physic's but sometimes there are some that seem to be on the money so to speak... I don't know how some of you keep going, these stories are so incredibly sad and unimaginable. May God Bless you and your family and may you receive answers as to the where abouts of your loved one.
 
One of our heroes needs our prayers. He's Jim Viola, husband of missing Patricia Viola. She's been missing since February of 2001 from Bogota, NJ.

pat_alone_xmas_2000.jpg


Since her disappearance, Jim has rallied to the aid of other families of the missing, using his skills and talents with the computer and internet to make them audio/video presentations, offering them advice and support and much more.

With the exception of another family who testified at the senate hearing, Jim has single-handedly run the Campaign for the Missing in the state of NJ. If successful at passing this bill, thousands of present and future missing persons cases have a better chance of being resolved.

Jim (and the NJ lawmakers) need your prayers. This bill, named Patricia's Law after Jim's beloved wife, is currently in committee. The committee needs to place the bill on the senate agenda by 11/19 to then be voted on by 12/13.

If unsuccessful, Jim will need to begin anew with his effort in 2008. If successful, NJ will join CT, IN and OR as other states passed through Project Jason's Campaign for the Missing this year.

The people of NJ (and all states without it) need this bill passed. Jim has made such a tremendous effort in educating the NJ senate and the citizens of NJ about what's missing with procedures to help find our loved ones.

I ask that for those of you who pray, to join me in hope and prayer that Patricia's Law will be passed in 2007.

Let Jim know you are grateful for his efforts and support him by signing his guestbook.

Thanks, Jim, for being one of our heroes!

Kelly, Project Jason

campaignLogo.jpg
 
Congrats to Jim Viola for his accomplishments on Project Jason's Campaign for the Missing in NJ!

http://www.politickernj.com/assembl...fficient-handling-missing-persons-cases-15131

By John Duthie - January 7, 2008 - 2:39pm

ASSEMBLY PASSES MEASURE TO ENSURE EFFICIENT HANDLING OF MISSING PERSONS CASES
'Patricia's Law' Could Be National Model for Law Enforcement

(TRENTON) - Legislation Assembly members Valerie Vainieri Huttle, Gordon Johnson, Joan Voss, and Linda Greenstein sponsored to enhance the ability of law enforcement officials to efficiently locate missing persons and reunite them with their families passed today in the General Assembly.

"When a loved one goes missing, families need to know that law enforcement is following a comprehensive playbook that will leave no stone unturned," said Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen). "New Jersey should be a national leader in setting the standards that other law enforcement agencies across the country can follow."

The measure (S-2255/A-3643) - dubbed "Patricia's Law" - is named for Patricia Viola, a Bogota wife and mother who went missing from her home in February 2001. Her disappearance was considered especially troubling as she suffered from epilepsy, which requires medication to control. There is no evidence that she either took medications with her the day she disappeared or had access to her medicines.

The bill is based on model missing-persons legislation crafted by the National Criminal Justice Reference Service. It would direct the Superintendent of State Police to develop a statewide best-practice and training protocol for addressing missing persons cases. The State Police also would train local law enforcement on the proper handling of missing persons cases.

"When a missing persons report is filed, every second becomes precious time," said Johnson (D-Bergen). "Regardless of where a case originates, every law enforcement agency should be working in lock-step to reunite a family with a loved one who has disappeared."

The bill would define a high-risk missing person as an individual whose disappearance suggests he or she may be at risk of injury or death. Such circumstances would include abduction, direct knowledge that the person is in need of medical attention, or a person missing for more than 30 days. Under this classification, Patricia Viola's medical history would have prioritized her as a "high risk" missing persons case.

"When a missing person is deemed to be in a decidedly precarious situation, the law enforcement community needs the ability to intensify its search," said Voss (D-Bergen). "When time is literally of the essence, officials should not have to wait for a bureaucratic green light to mobilize every resource at their disposal."

When a law enforcement agency determines that a missing person is high-risk, it would notify the State Police Missing Persons Unit, which would then alert all police agencies across New Jersey and in the surrounding states. In the case of a missing child, photographic information would be distributed nationally via the Missing Child Alert System.

A high-risk missing person case would be required to be entered in the National Crime Information Center within two hours of the reported disappearance; all other missing persons cases would be entered within 24 hours of the initial report.

The measure also would mandate the state Attorney General's office to train local law enforcement agencies on proper procedures for handling death-scene investigations. The bill would impose specific testing requirements upon medical examiners, including the use of photographs, fingerprints, dental records, and DNA testing for unidentified remains; a prohibition against cremating unidentified remains; and the retaining of tissue samples or other forensic evidence that could facilitate a future identification after the body has been buried.

"Helping the families of missing persons to become reunited with a loved one, or to at least reach closure, will require a comprehensive approach that links together all levels of law enforcement and makes use of cutting-edge forensic science," said Greenstein.
"Nothing should ever be left to chance."

According to the State Police, there are between 15,000 and 18,000 missing persons cases reported each year.

This bill passed 80-0. It now heads to the Governor, who may sign it, veto it or modify it in the form of a conditional veto.
 

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