Bill Text: NJ A1413 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Requires Silver Alert System receive same broadcast alerts as Amber Alert System.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 10-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2018-12-03 - Received in the Senate, Referred to Senate Law and Public Safety Committee [A1413 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2018-A1413-Amended.html
ASSEMBLY, No. 1413
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
218th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2018 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT
District 31 (Hudson)
Assemblywoman ANNETTE QUIJANO
District 20 (Union)
Assemblyman NICHOLAS CHIARAVALLOTI
District 31 (Hudson)
Assemblywoman ANNETTE CHAPARRO
District 33 (Hudson)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblymen DeAngelo and Benson
SYNOPSIS
Requires Silver Alert System receive same broadcast alerts as Amber Alert System.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As reported by the Assembly Consumer Affairs Committee on June 11, 2018, with amendments.
An Act concerning the "Silver Alert System" and amending P.L.2009, c.167.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 3 of P.L.2009, c.167 (C.52:17B-194.6) is amended to read as follows:
3. a. The Missing Persons 1[and Child Exploitation]1 Unit in the Division of State Police, in consultation with the Department of Transportation, shall develop a procedure for the use of overhead permanent changeable message signs to provide information on a missing person meeting the criteria set forth in section 2 of P.L.2009, c.167 (C.52:17B-194.5) when information is available that would enable motorists to assist in the recovery of the missing person.
b. The Missing Persons 1[and Child Exploitation]1 Unit and the Department of Transportation shall develop guidelines for the content, length, and frequency of any message to be placed on the overhead permanent changeable message sign.
c. The procedure and guidelines required in subsections a. and b. of this section shall provide at a minimum that:
(1) overhead permanent changeable message signs may be activated only if accurate motor vehicle information is available and it is confirmed that the person was driving the motor vehicle at the time of the disappearance; and
(2) the lead law enforcement agency, upon determining that a Silver Alert is warranted, shall contact the 1Intelligence1 Watch 1[Operations] and Warning1 Unit in the New Jersey State Police Regional Operations Intelligence Center, which shall contact the Department of Transportation for activation of highway signs.
d. The participating media [may] shall 1[voluntarily agree]1, upon notice of the issuance of a Silver Alert, 1[to]1 inform the public of a person believed to be missing within their service regions. The notice shall be provided through the lead law enforcement agency. The alert shall be read after a distinctive sound tone and the statement: "This is a Missing Person Silver Alert." The alert shall be broadcast as often as possible, pursuant to the guidelines established by the New Jersey 1[Broadcasters'] Broadcasters1 Association, for the first three hours. After the first three hours, the alert shall be rebroadcast at those intervals the lead law enforcement agency and the participating media deem appropriate.
e. The alerts shall terminate upon notice from the lead law enforcement agency.
f. The alerts shall include a description of the missing person and 1[such] any1 other information as the lead law enforcement agency may deem pertinent and appropriate. The lead law enforcement agency shall, in a timely manner, update the media with new information regarding the missing person when appropriate.
g. The alerts also shall provide information concerning how those members of the public who have information relating to the missing person may contact the lead law enforcement agency or the Missing Persons 1[and Child Exploitation]1 Unit in the Division of State Police.
(cf: P.L.2009, c.167, s.3)
2. This act shall take effect on the first day of the seventh month 1next1 following 1the date of1 enactment.