# 117-s-5230: Billy's Law

117-s-5230, Billy's Law, is a 117th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT] (D-CT); status became_law (as of 2026-01-05).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-s-5230
- As of: 2026-01-05
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 117-s-5230
- Congress: 117
- Title: Billy's Law
- Status: became_law
- Introduced: 2022-12-08
- Sponsor: Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT] (D-CT)
- Cosponsors: 4
- Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-01-05

## Summary

**NamUs is established as a national information clearinghouse for missing and unidentified persons** and is funded and managed through the Department of Justice and the National Institute of Justice to speed identifications and support families. - Families of missing people get free forensic services and direct technical assistance, plus access to NamUs experts and Missing Person Day support to help resolve cases faster. - Investigators and forensic providers gain a unified online database, investigative support, free forensic analyses (DNA, odontology, fingerprints, anthropology), training, and a secure critical incident response tool for faster case work. - State, local, and Tribal agencies must share missing child reports with NamUs, and can receive funding for staff, new data-entry technology, contracting, and training to improve reporting and coordination.

## Cosponsors (4)

- Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX] (R-TX), 2022-12-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Hoeven, John [R-ND] (R-ND), 2022-12-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] (D-CT), 2022-12-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Tillis, Thomas [R-NC] (R-NC), 2022-12-08T00:00:00.000Z

## Votes

| Date | Chamber | Question | Result | Yea | Nay |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2022-12-14T00:00:00.000Z | house | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass | Passed | 422 | 4 |

## Provisions PRIA read

- Faster sharing to national missing persons system: benefit, medium. The law requires missing child cases to be reported to the national system and adds that system to official reporting channels. Within 6 months of enactment, the Attorney General provides a plan for automatic NCIC-to-NamUs transfers: child abduction or AMBER (CA/AA) within 72 hours; endangered or i…
- National center to find missing people: benefit, medium. The law establishes a national clearinghouse for missing, unidentified, and unclaimed people, run by the National Institute of Justice. Funds can hire staff, build tech, pay for DNA and other forensic work, train agencies, and support a secure response tool. Families and local, State, and Tribal ag…
- Guidance and oversight for missing person data: benefit, low. Within 1 year, the Attorney General issues best practices for law enforcement and forensic providers. The guidance explains NCIC and NamUs, how to access them, proper and improper uses, and standards for collecting and analyzing data. Within 1 year and then every 2 years, the Attorney General repor…

## Related bills

- 117-s-2607: Iran Hostages Congressional Gold Medal Act
- 117-s-1404: Ghost Army Congressional Gold Medal Act
- 117-s-5029: Help Find the Missing Act
- 117-sres-748: A resolution honoring and celebrating the life and legacy of Representative Jackie Walorski.
- 117-sres-706: A resolution remembering former Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe.
- 117-sres-621: A resolution honoring the life and legacy of the late Senator Orrin G. Hatch.

## Sources
- [117-s-5230 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/5230)

## Related
- [117-s-2607: Iran Hostages Congressional Gold Medal Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-s-2607)
- [117-s-1404: Ghost Army Congressional Gold Medal Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-s-1404)
- [117-s-5029: Help Find the Missing Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-s-5029)
- [117-sres-748: A resolution honoring and celebrating the life and legacy of Representative Jac…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-sres-748)
- [117-sres-706: A resolution remembering former Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe.](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-sres-706)
- [117-sres-621: A resolution honoring the life and legacy of the late Senator Orrin G. Hatch.](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-sres-621)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-s-5230 (as of 2026-01-05).