Sec. 4. Silver Alert Coordinator
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/bill/113/hr/5361/ih/section-4A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
The Attorney General shall designate an individual within the Department of Justice to act as the national coordinator of the Silver Alert communications network. The individual so designated shall be known as the Silver Alert Coordinator of the Department of Justice (referred to in this Act as the Coordinator ). In acting as the national coordinator of the Silver Alert communications network, the Coordinator shall— work with States to encourage the development of additional Silver Alert plans in the network; establish voluntary guidelines for States to use in developing Silver Alert plans that will promote compatible and integrated Silver Alert plans throughout the United States, including— a list of the resources necessary to establish a Silver Alert plan; criteria for evaluating whether a situation warrants issuing a Silver Alert, taking into consideration the need for the use of Silver Alerts to be limited in scope because the effectiveness of the Silver Alert communications network may be affected by overuse, including criteria to determine— whether the mental capacity of a senior who is missing, and the circumstances of the disappearance of the senior, warrant the issuance of a Silver Alert; and 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; a description of the appropriate uses of the Silver Alert name to readily identify the nature of search efforts for missing seniors; and recommendations on how to protect the privacy, dignity, independence, and autonomy of any missing senior who may be the subject of a Silver Alert; 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 a senior is missing through the time of the return of the senior to family, guardian, or domicile, as appropriate, including— public safety communications protocol; case management protocol; command center operations; reunification protocol; and incident review, evaluation, debriefing, and public information procedures; work with States to ensure appropriate regional coordination of various elements of the Silver Alert communications network; establish an advisory group to assist States, units of local government, law enforcement agencies, and other entities involved in the Silver Alert communications network with initiating, facilitating, and promoting Silver Alert plans, which shall include— to the maximum extent practicable, representation from the various geographic regions of the United States; and members who are— representatives of senior citizen advocacy groups, law enforcement agencies, and public safety communications; broadcasters, first responders, dispatchers, and radio station personnel; and representatives of any other individuals or organizations that the Coordinator determines are necessary to the success of the Silver Alert communications network; and act as the nationwide point of contact for— the development of the Silver Alert communications network; and regional coordination of alerts for missing seniors through the Silver Alert communications network.
The Coordinator shall coordinate and consult with the Secretary of Transportation, the Federal Communications Commission, the Assistant Secretary for Aging of the Department of Health and Human Services, the head of the Missing Alzheimer’s Disease Patient Alert Program of the Department of Justice, and other appropriate offices of the Department of Justice in carrying out activities under this Act. The Coordinator shall consult with local broadcasters and State and local law enforcement agencies in establishing minimum standards under section 5 and in carrying out other activities under this Act, as appropriate.
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Coordinator shall submit to Congress a report on the activities of the Coordinator and the effectiveness and status of the Silver Alert plans of each State that has established or is in the process of establishing such a plan. Each report submitted under paragraph
(1)shall include— a list of States that have established Silver Alert plans; a list of States that are in the process of establishing Silver Alert plans; for each State that has established a Silver Alert plan, to the extent the data is available— the number of Silver Alerts issued; the number of individuals located successfully; the average period of time between the issuance of a Silver Alert and the location of the individual for whom such Alert was issued; the State agency or authority issuing Silver Alerts, and the process by which Silver Alerts are disseminated; the cost of establishing and operating the Silver Alert plan; the criteria used by the State to determine whether to issue a Silver Alert; and the extent to which missing individuals for whom Silver Alerts were issued crossed State lines; actions States have taken to protect the privacy and dignity of the individuals for whom Silver Alerts are issued; ways that States have facilitated and improved communication about missing individuals between families, caregivers, law enforcement officials, and other authorities; and any other information the Coordinator determines to be appropriate.