BILL REQ. #:  S-4025.2 

READ FIRST TIME 02/07/14.   

     AN ACT Relating to creating a silver alert system; amending RCW 13.60.010; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that Washington state's elderly population is growing and the number of individuals with dementia is increasing. The legislature further finds that approximately sixty percent of individuals with dementia will wander at least once and that if not found within twenty-four hours, up to half of wandering seniors with dementia will suffer serious injury or death. The legislature further finds that the state of Washington has a compelling interest in protecting the safety of vulnerable citizens with cognitive impairments. The legislature further finds that while the Washington state patrol does maintain an "endangered missing person advisory plan" which creates a public notification system to locate missing persons with developmental disabilities and vulnerable adults, the public may not fully understand that this program is primarily designed to locate adults with special needs. The legislature further finds that renaming this important public notification system will help the public to understand they are looking for a person with a developmental disability or a vulnerable adult. This will help to locate missing persons with Alzheimer's disease, dementia, or other mental disabilities aid in their safe return, and will help prevent unnecessary suffering and death.

Sec. 2   RCW 13.60.010 and 2013 c 285 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The Washington state patrol shall establish a missing children and endangered person clearinghouse which shall include the maintenance and operation of a toll-free telephone hotline. The clearinghouse shall distribute information to local law enforcement agencies, school districts, the department of social and health services, and the general public regarding missing children and endangered persons. The information shall include pictures, bulletins, training sessions, reports, and biographical materials that will assist in local law enforcement efforts to locate missing children and endangered persons. The state patrol shall also maintain a regularly updated computerized link with national and other statewide missing person systems or clearinghouses, and within existing resources, shall develop and implement a plan, commonly known as an "amber alert plan" or ((an "endangered missing person advisory)) a "silver alert plan," for voluntary cooperation between local, state, tribal, and other law enforcement agencies, state government agencies, radio and television stations, cable and satellite systems, and social media pages and sites to enhance the public's ability to assist in recovering abducted children and missing endangered persons consistent with the state endangered missing person advisory plan.
     (2) For the purposes of this chapter:
     (a) "Child" or "children" means an individual under eighteen years of age.
     (b) "Missing endangered person" means a person ((with a developmental disability as defined in RCW 71A.10.020(4) or a vulnerable adult as defined in RCW 74.34.020(17),)) believed to be in danger because of age, health, mental or physical disability, in combination with environmental or weather conditions, or is believed to be unable to return to safety without assistance and who is:
     (i) A person with a developmental disability as defined in RCW 71A.10.020(4);
     (ii) A vulnerable adult as defined in RCW 74.34.020(17); or
     (iii) A person who has been diagnosed as having Alzheimer's disease, dementia, or other mental disability.
     (c) "Silver alert" means a quick response system designed to issue and coordinate alerts following the disappearance of a missing endangered person.