SENATE BILL: National Silver Alert Act (At Final Vote)

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

A BILL
To promote and facilitate state and regional efforts to aid and locate missing seniors

Be it enacted by the Congress of the Republic of Atlasia assembled

Section 1. Title

This legislation may be cited as the National Silver Alert Act.

Section 2. Definitions

In this Act:

1. MISSING SENIOR - The term "missing senior" refers to any individual who -

(A) is reported to, or identified by, a law enforcement agency as a missing person; and

(B) meets the requirements to be designated as a missing senior, as determined by the Region or State in which the individual is reported or identified as a missing person.

Section 3. Silver Alert Communications Network

(A) The Attorney General shall, subject to the availability of appropriations, establish a national Silver Alert communications network within the Department of Justice to provide assistance to regional, state, and local search efforts for missing seniors through the initiation, facilitation, and promotion of local elements of the network (known as Silver Alert plans) in coordination with Regions, States, units of local government, law enforcement agencies, and other concerned entities with expertise in providing services to seniors.

(B) Coordination with AMBER Alert Network. - In establishing the Silver Alert Network under subsection (A), the Attorney General shall ensure that, when feasible, the Silver Alert Network is able to operate in coordination with the AMBER Alert communications network, to maximize the efficiency of both networks.

(C) The Attorney General shall designate an individual of the Department of Justice to act as the national coordinator of the Silver Alert communications network.

Section 4. Duties of the Coordinator

The Coordinator shall -

(1) work with States to encourage the development of additional Silver Alert plans in the network;

(2) establish voluntary guidelines for States to use in developing Silver Alert plans that will promote compatible and integrated Silver Alert plans throughout the Republic of Atlasia, including-

(A) a list of the resources necessary to establish a Silver Alert plan;

(B) criteria for evaluating whether a situation warrants issuing a Silver Alert, taking into consideration the need for the use of such Alerts to be limited in scope because the effectiveness of the Silver Alert communications network may be affected by overuse, including criteria to determine -

(i) whether the mental capacity of a senior who is missing, and the circumstances of his or her disappearance, warrant the issuance of a Silver Alert; and

(ii) whether the individual who reports that a senior is missing is an appropriate and credible source on which to base the issuance of a Silver Alert;

(iii) a description of the appropriate uses of the Silver Alert name to readily identify the nature of search efforts for missing seniors; and

(iv) recommendations on how to protect the privacy, dignity, independence, and autonomy of any missing senior who may be the subject of a Silver Alert;

(3) develop proposed protocols for efforts to recover missing seniors and to reduce the number of seniors who are reported missing, including protocols for procedures that are needed from the time of initial notification of a law enforcement agency that the senior is missing through the time of the return of the senior to family, guardian, or domicile, as appropriate, including -

(A) public safety communications protocol;

(B) case management protocol;

(C) command center operations;

(D) reunification protocol; and

(E) incident review, evaluation, debriefing, and public information procedures;

(4) work with Regions and States to ensure appropriate regional coordination of various elements of the network

Section 5. Funding

(A) $25 million shall be available to the Department of Justice for the purpose of providing matching grants for regions and states to establish Silver Alert programs and necessary equipment purchases, such as electronic highway signs.

Sponsor: Scott
Senate Designation: SB27:05

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Initial Debate period, Sponsor had 24 hours to commence an advocacy for this legislation.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I like the bill, but I do have concerns about the administrative follow through with this coordinator and such forth? Has there been discussion with the Attorney General in advance of this?

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I like the bill, but I do have concerns about the administrative follow through with this coordinator and such forth? Has there been discussion with the Attorney General in advance of this?

I have not discussed this with Truman, although I was planning to advocate for a regional counterpart to this bill in Frémont after passage. What are your specific concerns?

As long as there is some kind of post passage plan, I am satisfied.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Senators have 24 hours to object.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

The amendment is adopted.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

A Final Vote is now open on this legislation, Senators please vote Aye, Nay or Abstain.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

AYE

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Vote on Final Passage of the National Silver Alert Act

Aye (6): Blair, Devout Centrist, LT, NC Yankee, Scott and Tack50
Nay (0):
Abstain (0):

Didn't Vote (0):

This has passed the Senate and is presented to the VP for House action.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

A BILL
To promote and facilitate state and regional efforts to aid and locate missing seniors

Be it enacted by the Congress of the Republic of Atlasia assembled

Section 1. Title

This legislation may be cited as the National Silver Alert Act.

Section 2. Definitions

In this Act:

1. MISSING SENIOR - The term "missing senior" refers to any individual who -

(A) is reported to, or identified by, a law enforcement agency as a missing person; and

(B) meets the requirements to be designated as a missing senior, as determined by the Region or State in which the individual is reported or identified as a missing person.

Section 3. Silver Alert Communications Network

(A) The Attorney General shall, subject to the availability of appropriations, establish a national Silver Alert communications network within the Department of Justice to provide assistance to regional, state, and local search efforts for missing seniors through the initiation, facilitation, and promotion of local elements of the network (known as Silver Alert plans) in coordination with Regions, States, units of local government, law enforcement agencies, and other concerned entities with expertise in providing services to seniors.

(B) Coordination with AMBER Alert Network. - In establishing the Silver Alert Network under subsection (A), the Attorney General shall ensure that, when feasible, the Silver Alert Network is able to operate in coordination with the AMBER Alert communications network, to maximize the efficiency of both networks.

(C) The Attorney General shall designate an individual of the Department of Justice to act as the national coordinator of the Silver Alert communications network.

Section 4. Duties of the Coordinator

The Coordinator shall -

(1) work with States to encourage the development of additional Silver Alert plans in the network;

(2) establish voluntary guidelines for States to use in developing Silver Alert plans that will promote compatible and integrated Silver Alert plans throughout the Republic of Atlasia, including-

(A) a list of the resources necessary to establish a Silver Alert plan;

(B) criteria for evaluating whether a situation warrants issuing a Silver Alert, taking into consideration the need for the use of such Alerts to be limited in scope because the effectiveness of the Silver Alert communications network may be affected by overuse, including criteria to determine -

(i) whether the mental capacity of a senior who is missing, and the circumstances of his or her disappearance, warrant the issuance of a Silver Alert; and

(ii) whether the individual who reports that a senior is missing is an appropriate and credible source on which to base the issuance of a Silver Alert;

(iii) a description of the appropriate uses of the Silver Alert name to readily identify the nature of search efforts for missing seniors; and

(iv) recommendations on how to protect the privacy, dignity, independence, and autonomy of any missing senior who may be the subject of a Silver Alert;

(3) develop proposed protocols for efforts to recover missing seniors and to reduce the number of seniors who are reported missing, including protocols for procedures that are needed from the time of initial notification of a law enforcement agency that the senior is missing through the time of the return of the senior to family, guardian, or domicile, as appropriate, including -

(A) public safety communications protocol;

(B) case management protocol;

(C) command center operations;

(D) reunification protocol; and

(E) incident review, evaluation, debriefing, and public information procedures;

(4) work with Regions and States to ensure appropriate regional coordination of various elements of the network

Section 5. Funding

(A) $25 million shall be available to the Department of Justice for the purpose of providing matching grants for regions and states to establish Silver Alert programs and necessary equipment purchases, such as electronic highway signs. Grants will only be given to regions that have established a Silver Alert plan and comply with the recommendations of the Justice Department.

People's Regional Senate
Passed 6-0 in the Atlasian Senate Assembled,