H. R. 5075 

One Hundred Fifteenth Congress 

of the 

United States of America 

AT THE SECOND SESSION 

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday, 

the third day of January, two thousand and eighteen 

An Act 

To encourage, enhance, and integrate Ashanti Alert plans throughout the United 

States, and for other purposes. 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 

the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Ashanti Alert Act of 2018’’. 

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF ASHANTI ALERT COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK. 

Kristen’s Act (Public Law 106–468; 114 Stat. 2027) is 

amended— 

(1) by inserting before section 2 (34 U.S.C. 40504) the 

following: 

‘‘TITLE I—GRANTS’’; 

(2) by redesignating sections 2 (34 U.S.C. 40504) and 3 

(34 U.S.C. 40504 note) as sections 101 and 102, respectively; 

(3) in section 101(b), as so redesignated, by striking ‘‘this 

Act’’ and inserting ‘‘this title’’; 

(4) in section 102, as so redesignated, by striking ‘‘this 

Act’’ and inserting ‘‘this title’’; and 

(5) by adding at the end the following: 

‘‘TITLE II—ASHANTI ALERT 

COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK 

‘‘SEC. 201. DEFINITIONS. 

‘‘In this title: 

‘‘(1) AMBER ALERT COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK.—The term 

‘AMBER Alert communications network’ means the AMBER 

Alert communications network established under subtitle A 

of title III of the PROTECT Act (34 U.S.C. 20501 et seq.). 

‘‘(2) ASHANTI ALERT.—The term ‘Ashanti Alert’ means an 

alert issued through the Ashanti Alert communications network, related to a missing adult. 

‘‘(3) ASHANTI ALERT COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK.—The term 

‘Ashanti Alert communications network’ means the national 

communications network established by the Attorney General 

under section 202(a). 
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‘‘(4) ASHANTI ALERT COORDINATOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF

JUSTICE; COORDINATOR.—The term ‘Ashanti Alert Coordinator 

of the Department of Justice’ or ‘Coordinator’ means the 

employee designated by the Attorney General to act as the 

national coordinator of the Ashanti Alert communications network under section 203(a). 

‘‘(5) ASHANTI ALERT PLAN.—The term ‘Ashanti Alert plan’ 

means a local element of the Ashanti Alert communications 

network. 

‘‘(6) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘Indian Tribe’ means a federally recognized Indian Tribe or a Native village, Regional Corporation, or Village Corporation (as those terms are defined 

in section 3 of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 

U.S.C. 1602)). 

‘‘(7) MISSING ADULT.—The term ‘missing adult’ means an 

individual who— 

‘‘(A) is older than the age for which an alert may 

be issued through the AMBER Alert communications network in the State or territory of an Indian Tribe in which 

the individual is identified as a missing individual; 

‘‘(B) is identified by a law enforcement agency as a 

missing individual; and 

‘‘(C) meets the requirements to be designated as a 

missing adult, as determined by the State in which, or 

the Indian Tribe in the territory of which, the individual 

is identified as a missing individual. 

‘‘(8) STATE.—The term ‘State’ means each of the 50 States, 

the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, 

the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, 

and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. 

‘‘SEC. 202. ASHANTI ALERT COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK. 

‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Attorney General shall, subject to the 

availability of appropriations, establish a national communications 

network within the Office of Justice Programs of the Department 

of Justice to provide assistance to regional and local search efforts 

for missing adults through the initiation, facilitation, and promotion 

of local elements of the network, in coordination with States, Indian 

Tribes, units of local government, law enforcement agencies, and 

other concerned entities with expertise in providing services to 

adults. 

‘‘(b) INTEGRATION WITH EXISTING COMMUNICATIONS NET- WORK.—In establishing the Ashanti Alert communications network 

under subsection (a), the Attorney General shall coordinate, when 

advisable, with missing person alert systems in existence as of 

the date of enactment of this title, such as the AMBER Alert 

communications network and Silver Alert communications networks. 

‘‘SEC. 203. ASHANTI ALERT COORDINATOR. 

‘‘(a) NATIONAL COORDINATOR WITHIN DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.—The Attorney General shall designate an employee of the 

Office of Justice Programs of the Department of Justice to act 

as the national coordinator of the Ashanti Alert communications 

network. 

‘‘(b) DUTIES OF THE COORDINATOR.—In acting as the national 

coordinator of the Ashanti Alert communications network, the 

Coordinator shall— 
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‘‘(1) work with States and Indian Tribes to encourage the 

development of additional Ashanti Alert plans in the network; 

‘‘(2) establish voluntary guidelines for States and Indian 

Tribes to use in developing Ashanti Alert plans that will promote compatible and integrated Ashanti Alert plans throughout 

the United States, including— 

‘‘(A) a list of the resources necessary to establish an 

Ashanti Alert plan; 

‘‘(B) criteria for evaluating whether a situation warrants issuing an Ashanti Alert, taking into consideration 

the need for the use of Ashanti Alerts to be limited in 

scope because the effectiveness of the Ashanti Alert communications network may be affected by overuse, including 

criteria to determine— 

‘‘(i) whether the mental capacity of an adult who 

is missing, and the circumstances of his or her disappearance, including any history of domestic violence, 

sexual assault, child abuse, or human trafficking, warrant the issuance of an Ashanti Alert; and 

‘‘(ii) whether the individual who reports that an 

adult is missing is an appropriate and credible source 

on which to base the issuance of an Ashanti Alert; 

‘‘(C) a description of the appropriate uses of the Ashanti 

Alert name to readily identify the nature of search efforts 

for missing adults; and 

‘‘(D) recommendations on how to protect the privacy, 

dignity, independence, autonomy, and safety of any missing 

adult who may be the subject of an Ashanti Alert; 

‘‘(3) develop proposed protocols for efforts to recover missing 

adults and to reduce the number of adults who are reported 

missing, including protocols for procedures that are needed 

from the time of initial notification of a law enforcement agency 

that the adult is missing through the time of the return of 

the adult to family, guardian, or domicile, as appropriate, 

including— 

‘‘(A) public safety communications protocol; 

‘‘(B) case management protocol; 

‘‘(C) command center operations; 

‘‘(D) reunification protocol; 

‘‘(E) incident review, evaluation, debriefing, and public 

information procedures; and 

‘‘(F) protocols for declining to issue an Ashanti Alert; 

‘‘(4) work with States and Indian Tribes to ensure appropriate regional coordination of various elements of the network; 

‘‘(5) establish an advisory group to assist States, Indian 

Tribes, units of local government, law enforcement agencies, 

and other entities involved in the Ashanti Alert communications 

network with initiating, facilitating, and promoting Ashanti 

Alert plans, which shall include— 

‘‘(A) to the maximum extent practicable, representation 

from the various geographic regions of the United States; 

and 

‘‘(B) members who are— 

‘‘(i) representatives of adult citizen advocacy 

groups, law enforcement agencies, victim service providers (as defined in section 40002(a) of the Violence 
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Against Women Act of 1994 (34 U.S.C. 12291(a)), and 

public safety communications; 

‘‘(ii) broadcasters, first responders, dispatchers, 

and radio station personnel; and 

‘‘(iii) representatives of any other individuals or 

organizations that the Coordinator determines are necessary to the success of the Ashanti Alert communications network; and 

‘‘(6) act as the nationwide point of contact for— 

‘‘(A) the development of the network; and 

‘‘(B) regional coordination of alerts for missing adults 

through the network. 

‘‘(c) COORDINATION.— 

‘‘(1) COORDINATION WITH OTHER AGENCIES.—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, and other appropriate offices of the 

Department of Justice, including the Office on Violence Against 

Women, in carrying out activities under this title. 

‘‘(2) STATE, TRIBAL, AND LOCAL COORDINATION.—The Coordinator shall consult with local broadcasters and State, Tribal, 

and local law enforcement agencies in establishing minimum 

standards under section 204 and in carrying out other activities 

under this title, as appropriate. 

‘‘(d) ANNUAL REPORTS.— 

‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the date 

of enactment of this title, and annually thereafter, the Coordinator shall submit to Congress a report on— 

‘‘(A) the activities of the Coordinator; and 

‘‘(B) the effectiveness and status of the Ashanti Alert 

plan of each State or Indian Tribe that has established 

or is in the process of establishing such a plan. 

‘‘(2) CONTENTS.—Each report under paragraph (1) shall 

include— 

‘‘(A) a list of each State or Indian Tribe that has 

established an Ashanti Alert plan; 

‘‘(B) a list of each State or Indian Tribe that is in 

the process of establishing an Ashanti Alert plan; 

‘‘(C) for each State or Indian Tribe that has established 

an Ashanti Alert plan, to the extent the data is available— 

‘‘(i) the number of Ashanti Alerts issued; 

‘‘(ii) the number of missing adults located successfully; 

‘‘(iii) the average period of time between the 

issuance of an Ashanti Alert and the location of the 

missing adult for whom the Alert was issued; 

‘‘(iv) the State or Tribal agency or authority issuing 

Ashanti Alerts, and the process by which Ashanti 

Alerts are disseminated; 

‘‘(v) the cost of establishing and operating the 

Ashanti Alert plan; 

‘‘(vi) the criteria used by the State or Indian Tribe 

to determine whether to issue an Ashanti Alert; and 

‘‘(vii) the extent to which missing adults for whom 

Ashanti Alerts were issued crossed State lines or territorial borders of an Indian Tribe; 
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‘‘(D) actions States and Indian Tribes have taken to 

protect the privacy and dignity of the missing adults for 

whom Ashanti Alerts are issued; 

‘‘(E) ways that States and Indian Tribes have facilitated and improved communication about missing adults 

between families, caregivers, law enforcement officials, and 

other authorities; and 

‘‘(F) any other information the Coordinator determines 

to be appropriate. 

‘‘SEC. 204. MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR ISSUANCE AND DISSEMINATION 

OF ALERTS THROUGH ASHANTI ALERT COMMUNICATIONS 

NETWORK. 

‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF MINIMUM STANDARDS.—Subject to subsection (b), the Coordinator shall establish minimum standards 

for— 

‘‘(1) the issuance of alerts through the Ashanti Alert 

communications network; and 

‘‘(2) the extent of the dissemination of alerts issued through 

the Ashanti Alert communications network. 

‘‘(b) LIMITATIONS.— 

‘‘(1) DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION.—The minimum 

standards established under subsection (a) shall, to the maximum extent practicable (as determined by the Coordinator 

in consultation with State, Tribal, and local law enforcement 

agencies), provide for the dissemination of appropriate information relating to the special needs of a missing adult (including 

health care needs) to the appropriate law enforcement, public 

health, and other public officials. 

‘‘(2) GEOGRAPHIC AREAS.—The minimum standards established under subsection (a) shall, to the maximum extent practicable (as determined by the Coordinator in consultation with 

State, Tribal, and local law enforcement agencies), provide that 

the dissemination of an alert through the Ashanti Alert communications network shall be limited to the geographic areas 

that the missing adult could reasonably reach, considering— 

‘‘(A) the circumstances and physical and mental condition of the missing adult; 

‘‘(B) the modes of transportation available to the 

missing adult; and 

‘‘(C) the circumstances of the disappearance. 

‘‘(3) OTHER REQUIREMENTS.—The minimum standards 

established under subsection (a) shall require that, in order 

for an Ashanti Alert to be issued for a missing adult, the 

missing adult— 

‘‘(A) suffers from a proven mental or physical disability, 

as documented by a source determined credible by an 

appropriate law enforcement agency; or 

‘‘(B) be missing under circumstances that indicate, as 

determined by an appropriate law enforcement agency— 

‘‘(i) that the physical safety of the missing adult 

may be endangered; or 

‘‘(ii) that the disappearance of the missing adult 

may not have been voluntary, including an abduction 

or kidnapping. 
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‘‘(4) SAFETY, PRIVACY, AND CIVIL LIBERTIES PROTECTIONS.— 

The minimum standards established under subsection (a) 

shall— 

‘‘(A) ensure that alerts issued through the Ashanti 

Alert communications network comply with all applicable 

Federal, State, Tribal, and local privacy laws and regulations; 

‘‘(B) include standards that specifically provide for the 

protection of the civil liberties and sensitive medical 

information of missing adults; and 

‘‘(C) include standards requiring, as appropriate, a 

review of relevant court records, prior contacts with law 

enforcement, and other information relevant to the missing 

adult or the individual reporting, in order to provide protections against domestic violence. 

‘‘(5) STATE, TRIBAL, AND LOCAL VOLUNTARY COORDINATION.— 

In establishing minimum standards under subsection (a), the 

Coordinator may not interfere with the system of voluntary 

coordination between local broadcasters and State, Tribal, and 

local law enforcement agencies for purposes of regional and 

local search efforts for missing adults that was in effect on 

the day before the date of enactment of this title. 

‘‘SEC. 205. VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION. 

‘‘The minimum standards established under section 204(a), and 

any other guidelines and programs established under section 203, 

shall be adoptable on a voluntary basis only. 

‘‘SEC. 206. TRAINING AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. 

‘‘The Coordinator shall make available to States, Indian Tribes, 

units of local government, law enforcement agencies, and other 

concerned entities that are involved in initiating, facilitating, or 

promoting Ashanti Alert plans, including broadcasters, first 

responders, dispatchers, public safety communications personnel, 

and radio station personnel— 

‘‘(1) training and educational programs related to the 

Ashanti Alert communications network and the capabilities, 

limitations, and anticipated behaviors of missing adults, which 

the Coordinator shall update regularly to encourage the use 

of new tools, technologies, and resources in Ashanti Alert plans; 

and 

‘‘(2) informational materials, including brochures, videos, 

posters, and websites to support and supplement the training 

and educational programs described in paragraph (1). 

‘‘SEC. 207. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

‘‘There is authorized to be appropriated to the Attorney General 

$3,000,000 to carry out the Ashanti Alert communications network 

as authorized under this title for each of fiscal years 2019 through 

2022.’’. 
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SEC. 3. EMERGENCY FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSISTANCE. 

Section 609Y(a) of the Justice Assistance Act of 1984 (34 U.S.C. 

50112(a)) is amended by striking ‘‘September 30, 2021’’ and 

inserting ‘‘September 30, 2022’’. 

Speaker of the House of Representatives. 

Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate.