If signed by governor, new law will help solve missing person, cold cases
OKLAHOMA CITY – Attorney General Mike Hunter today commended members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives and the Senate for passing House Bill 2640, better known as Francine’s Law, sending it to the governor.
Francine’s Law, which passed both chambers unanimously, requires law enforcement agencies statewide to enter information regarding all missing persons and unidentified remains into the publicly available National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) within 30 days. If the individual is missing under suspicious circumstances or under 18 years old, the information must be entered into the system immediately.
The legislation is named after Francine Frost, a Tulsa mother of two, who was abducted in February 1981. Her case remained cold and unsolved until 2014, when her grandson found a record with a description matching Francine’s on the NamUs. Through DNA testing, it was later determined the victim was Francine.
Attorney General Hunter announced his office would request the legislation last August.
“Thanks to the decisive action by members of both the House and Senate, law enforcement agencies will be able to share information and better solve cases involving missing individuals, which has the potential to save lives,” Attorney General Hunter said. “Cases that are cold or involve missing people are some of the most difficult to solve. That is why we must give our law enforcement partners every resource available to assist them. Francine’s Law will be a critical component to solving these cases.
“I appreciate Rep. Rhonda Baker, for authoring this legislation, as well as all of the co-sponsors in the House and Senate. I also thank Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation Director Ricky Adams, District 27 District Attorney Jack Thorp for supporting this legislation and the family members of Francine, who have been leading advocates for this important cause in Oklahoma.”
If signed by the governor, Oklahoma will be the sixth state to enact similar legislation. The other states include Connecticut, Michigan, New Jersey, New York and Tennessee.