### §11292. Definitions

For the purpose of this subchapter—

(1) the term "missing child" means any individual less than 18 years of age whose whereabouts are unknown to such individual's parent;

(2) the term "Administrator" means the Administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention;

(3) the term "Center" means the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children;

(4) the term "parent" includes a legal guardian or other individual who may lawfully exercise parental rights with respect to the child; and

(5) the term "child sexual abuse material" has the meaning given the term "child pornography" in section 2256 of title 18; 1

(Pub. L. 93–415, title IV, §403, as added Pub. L. 98–473, title II, §660, Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 2126; amended Pub. L. 106–71, §2(b), Oct. 12, 1999, 113 Stat. 1034; Pub. L. 109–248, title I, §154(b), July 27, 2006, 120 Stat. 611; Pub. L. 109–295, title VI, §689b(c), Oct. 4, 2006, 120 Stat. 1450; Pub. L. 115–267, §2(b), Oct. 11, 2018, 132 Stat. 3757; Pub. L. 115–393, title II, §202(b), Dec. 21, 2018, 132 Stat. 5268; Pub. L. 118–65, §2(a), June 17, 2024, 138 Stat. 1439.)

#### **Editorial Notes**

#### Codification

Section was formerly classified to section 5772 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section. Some section numbers or references in amendment notes below reflect the classification of such sections or references prior to editorial reclassification.

#### Prior Provisions

A prior section 403 of Pub. L. 93–415 amended section 3883 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, and was repealed by Pub. L. 95–115, §10, Oct. 3, 1977, 91 Stat. 1061, and Pub. L. 107–273, div. C, title II, §12221(a)(4), Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1894.

#### Amendments

2024—Par. (5). Pub. L. 118–65 added par. (5).

2018—Par. (1). Pub. L. 115–267, §2(b)(1), and Pub. L. 115–393, §202(b)(1), amended section identically, adding par. (1) and striking out former par. (1) which read as follows: "the term 'missing child' means any individual less than 18 years of age whose whereabouts are unknown to such individual's legal custodian;".

Par. (4). Pub. L. 115–267, §2(b)(2)–(4), and Pub. L. 115–393, §202(b)(2)–(4), amended section identically, adding par. (4).

2006—Par. (1). Pub. L. 109–295, which directed amendment of par. (1) by striking out "or" at the end of subpar. (A), inserting "or" after the semicolon in subpar. (B), and adding after subpar. (B) subpar. (C) "the individual is an individual under 21 years of age who is displaced from the habitual residence of that individual as a result of an emergency or major disaster (as those terms are defined in section 5122 of this title).", could not be executed because of the prior amendment by Pub. L. 109–248, see below.

Pub. L. 109–248, which directed amendment of "Section 403(1) of the Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984 (42 U.S.C. 5772)" by substituting a semicolon at end for "if—" through subpar. (B), was executed by substituting a semicolon for "if—"and subpars. (A) and (B) of par. (1) of this section, which is section 403 of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, Pub. L. 93–415, as added by section 660 of the Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984, to reflect the probable intent of Congress. Prior to amendment, subpars. (A) and (B) read as follows:

"(A) the circumstances surrounding such individual's disappearance indicate that such individual may possibly have been removed by another from the control of such individual's legal custodian without such custodian's consent; or

"(B) the circumstances of the case strongly indicate that such individual is likely to be abused or sexually exploited;".

1999—Par. (3). Pub. L. 106–71 added par. (3).

#### **Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries**

#### Effective Date of 2018 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 115–267 effective Oct. 11, 2018, and applicable to fiscal years beginning after Sept. 30, 2018, see section 4 of Pub. L. 115–267, set out as a note under section 11291 of this title.

1 So in original. The semicolon probably should be a period.