,,ii #aacth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #ahad ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,december #ab 7legislative day1 ,december #aa71 #bjac,mr4 ,manchin 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,rockefeller1 ,mr4 ,schumer1 ,ms4 ,klobuchar1 ,mrs4 ,mc,caskill1 and ,mr4 ,coons7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on the ,judiciary ,a ,,bill ,to encourage1 enhance1 and integrate ,silver ,alert plans throughout the ,united ,states and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,national ,silver ,alert ,act of #bjac4 #b4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,missing senior ,the term missing senior refers to any individual who-- 7,a7 is reported to1 or identified by1 a law enforcement agency as a missing person2 and 7,b7 meets the requirements to be designated as a missing senior1 as determined by the ,state in which the individual is reported or identified as a missing person4 7#b7 ,state ,the term ,state means each of the #ej ,states1 the ,district of ,columbia1 the ,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico1 the ,united ,states ,virgin ,islands1 ,guam1 ,american ,samoa1 and the ,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana ,islands4 #c4 ,silver ,alert communications network 7a7 ,in general ,the ,attorney ,general shall1 subject to the availability of appropriations1 establish a national ,silver ,alert communications network within the ,department of ,justice to provide assistance to regional and local search efforts for missing seniors through the initiation1 facilitation1 and promotion of local elements of the network 7known as ,silver ,alert plans7 in coordination with ,states1 units of local government1 law enforcement agencies1 and other concerned entities with expertise in providing services to seniors4 7b7 ,coordination with ,,amber ,alert ,network ,in establishing the ,silver ,alert ,network under subsection 7a71 the ,attorney ,general shall ensure that1 when feasible1 the ,silver ,alert ,network is able to operate in coordination with the ,,amber ,alert communications network1 established under subtitle ,a of title ,,iii of the ,,protect ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #egia et seq471 to maximize the efficiency of both networks4 #d4 ,silver ,alert ,coordinator 7a7 ,national ,coordinator within ,department of ,justice ,the ,attorney ,general shall designate an individual of the ,department of ,justice to act as the national coordinator of the ,silver ,alert communications network4 ,the individual so designated shall be known as the ,silver ,alert ,coordinator of the ,department of ,justice 7referred to in this ,act as the ,coordinator74 7b7 ,duties of the ,coordinator ,in acting as the national coordinator of the ,silver ,alert communications network1 the ,coordinator shall-- 7#a7 work with ,states to encourage the development of additional ,silver ,alert plans in the network2 7#b7 establish voluntary guidelines for ,states to use in developing ,silver ,alert plans that will promote compatible and integrated ,silver ,alert plans throughout the ,united ,states1 including-- 7,a7 a list of the resources necessary to establish a ,silver ,alert plan2 7,b7 criteria for evaluating whether a situation warrants issuing a ,silver ,alert1 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 overuse1 including criteria to determine-- 7i7 whether the mental capacity of a senior who is missing1 and the circumstances of his or her disappearance1 warrant the issuance of a ,silver ,alert2 and 7ii7 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 ,alert2 7,c7 a description of the appropriate uses of the ,silver ,alert name to readily identify the nature of search efforts for missing seniors2 and 7,d7 recommendations on how to protect the privacy1 dignity1 independence1 and autonomy of any missing senior who may be the subject of a ,silver ,alert2 7#c7 develop proposed protocols for efforts to recover missing seniors and to reduce the number of seniors who are reported missing1 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 family1 guardian1 or domicile1 as appropriate1 including-- 7,a7 public safety communications protocol2 7,b7 case management protocol2 7,c7 command center operations2 7,d7 reunification protocol2 and 7,e7 incident review1 evaluation1 debriefing1 and public information procedures2 7#d7 work with ,states to ensure appropriate regional coordination of various elements of the network2 7#e7 establish an advisory group to assist ,states1 units of local government1 law enforcement agencies1 and other entities involved in the ,silver ,alert communications network with initiating1 facilitating1 and promoting ,silver ,alert plans1 which shall include-- 7,a7 to the maximum extent practicable1 representation from the various geographic regions of the ,united ,states2 and 7,b7 members who are-- 7i7 representatives of senior citizen advocacy groups1 law enforcement agencies1 and public safety communications2 7ii7 broadcasters1 first responders1 dispatchers1 and radio station personnel2 and 7iii7 representatives of any other individuals or organizations that the ,coordinator determines are necessary to the success of the ,silver ,alert communications network2 and 7#f7 act as the nationwide point of contact for-- 7,a7 the development of the network2 and 7,b7 regional coordination of alerts for missing seniors through the network4 7c7 ,coordination 7#a7 ,coordination with other agencies ,the ,coordinator shall coordinate and consult with the ,secretary of ,transportation1 the ,federal ,communications ,commission1 the ,assistant ,secretary for ,aging of the ,department of ,health and ,human ,services1 the head of the ,missing ,alzheimer's ,disease ,patient ,alert ,program1 and other appropriate offices of the ,department of ,justice in carrying out activities under this ,act4 7#b7 ,state and local coordination ,the ,coordinator shall consult with local broadcasters and ,state and local law enforcement agencies in establishing minimum standards under section #e and in carrying out other activities under this ,act1 as appropriate4 7d7 ,annual reports ,not later than one year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 and annually thereafter1 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 plan4 ,each such report shall include-- 7#a7 a list of ,states that have established ,silver ,alert plans2 7#b7 a list of ,states that are in the process of establishing ,silver ,alert plans2 7#c7 for each ,state that has established such a plan1 to the extent the data is available-- 7,a7 the number of ,silver ,alerts issued2 7,b7 the number of individuals located successfully2 7,c7 the average period of time between the issuance of a ,silver ,alert and the location of the individual for whom such ,alert was issued2 7,d7 the ,state agency or authority issuing ,silver ,alerts1 and the process by which ,silver ,alerts are disseminated2 7,e7 the cost of establishing and operating such a plan2 7,f7 the criteria used by the ,state to determine whether to issue a ,silver ,alert2 and 7,g7 the extent to which missing individuals for whom ,silver ,alerts were issued crossed ,state lines2 7#d7 actions ,states have taken to protect the privacy and dignity of the individuals for whom ,silver ,alerts are issued2 7#e7 ways that ,states have facilitated and improved communication about missing individuals between families1 caregivers1 law enforcement officials1 and other authorities2 and 7#f7 any other information the ,coordinator determines to be appropriate4 #e4 ,minimum standards for issuance and dissemination of alerts through ,silver ,alert communications network 7a7 ,establishment of minimum standards ,subject to subsection 7b71 the ,coordinator shall establish minimum standards for-- 7#a7 the issuance of alerts through the ,silver ,alert communications network2 and 7#b7 the extent of the dissemination of alerts issued through the network4 7b7 ,limitations 7#a7 ,voluntary participation ,the minimum standards established under subsection 7a7 of this section1 and any other guidelines and programs established under section #d1 shall be adoptable on a voluntary basis only4 7#b7 ,dissemination of information ,the minimum standards shall1 to the maximum extent practicable 7as determined by the ,coordinator in consultation with ,state and local law enforcement agencies71 provide that appropriate information relating to the special needs of a missing senior 7including health care needs7 are disseminated to the appropriate law enforcement1 public health1 and other public officials4 7#c7 ,geographic areas ,the minimum standards shall1 to the maximum extent practicable 7as determined by the ,coordinator in consultation with ,state and local law enforcement agencies71 provide that the dissemination of an alert through the ,silver ,alert communications network be limited to the geographic areas which the missing senior could reasonably reach1 considering the missing senior's circumstances and physical and mental condition1 the modes of transportation available to the missing senior1 and the circumstances of the disappearance4 7#d7 ,age requirements ,the minimum standards shall not include any specific age requirement for an individual to be classified as a missing senior for purposes of the ,silver ,alert communication network4 ,age requirements for determinations of whether an individual is a missing senior shall be determined by each ,state1 and may vary from ,state to ,state4 7#e7 ,privacy and civil liberties protections ,the minimum standards shall-- 7,a7 ensure that alerts issued through the ,silver ,alert communications network comply with all applicable ,federal1 ,state1 and local privacy laws and regulations2 and 7,b7 include standards that specifically provide for the protection of the civil liberties and sensitive medical information of missing seniors4 7#f7 ,state and local voluntary coordination ,in carrying out the activities under subsection 7a71 the ,coordinator may not interfere with the current system of voluntary coordination between local broadcasters and ,state and local law enforcement agencies for purposes of the ,silver ,alert communications network4 #f4 ,training and other resources 7a7 ,training and educational programs ,the ,coordinator shall make available to ,states1 units of local government1 law enforcement agencies1 and other concerned entities that are involved in initiating1 facilitating1 or promoting ,silver ,alert plans1 including broadcasters1 first responders1 dispatchers1 public safety communications personnel1 and radio station personnel-- 7#a7 training and educational programs related to the ,silver ,alert communication network and the capabilities1 limitations1 and anticipated behaviors of missing seniors1 which shall be updated regularly to encourage the use of new tools1 technologies1 and resources in ,silver ,alert plans2 and 7#b7 informational materials1 including brochures1 videos1 posters1 and web sites to support and supplement such training and educational programs4 7b7 ,coordination ,the ,coordinator shall coordinate-- 7#a7 with the ,assistant ,secretary for ,aging of the ,department of ,health and ,human ,services in developing the training and educational programs and materials under subsection 7a72 and 7#b7 with the head of the ,missing ,alzheimer's ,disease ,patient ,alert ,program within the ,department of ,justice1 to determine if any existing material with respect to training programs or educational materials developed or used as part of such ,patient ,alert ,program are appropriate and may be used for the programs under subsection 7a74 #g4 ,authorization of appropriations for the silver alert communications network ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,department of ,justice #ejj1jjj to carry out the ,silver ,alert communications network as authorized under this ,act4