In the Senate of the United States, 
December 6, 2018. 
Resolved, That the bill from the House of Representa-
tives (H.R. 5075) entitled ‘‘An Act to encourage, enhance, 
and integrate Ashanti Alert plans throughout the United 
States, and for other purposes.’’, do pass with the following 
AMENDMENT: 
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the 
following: 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Ashanti Alert Act of 
2018’’. 
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF ASHANTI ALERT COMMUNICA-
TIONS 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:
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‘‘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
NET-
WORK.—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 com-
munications network, related to a missing adult. 
‘‘(3) ASHANTI
ALERT
COMMUNICATIONS
NET-
WORK.—The term ‘Ashanti Alert communications net-
work’ means the national communications network es-
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tablished by the Attorney General under section 
202(a). 
‘‘(4) ASHANTI ALERT COORDINATOR OF THE DE-
PARTMENT
OF
JUSTICE; COORDINATOR.—The term 
‘Ashanti Alert Coordinator of the Department of Jus-
tice’ or ‘Coordinator’ means the employee designated 
by the Attorney General to act as the national coordi-
nator 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 Na-
tive village, Regional Corporation, or Village Cor-
poration (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 terri-
tory of an Indian Tribe in which the individual 
is identified as a missing individual;
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‘‘(B) is identified by a law enforcement 
agency as a missing individual; and 
‘‘(C) meets the requirements to be des-
ignated as a missing adult, as determined by the 
State in which, or the Indian Tribe in the terri-
tory 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 Common-
wealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Is-
lands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Common-
wealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. 
‘‘SEC. 202. ASHANTI ALERT COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Attorney General shall, sub-
ject to the availability of appropriations, establish a na-
tional 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 
NETWORK.—In establishing the Ashanti Alert communica-
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tions 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 em-
ployee 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— 
‘‘(1) work with States and Indian Tribes to en-
courage 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, in-
cluding— 
‘‘(A) a list of the resources necessary to es-
tablish an Ashanti Alert plan;
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‘‘(B) criteria for evaluating whether a situ-
ation warrants issuing an Ashanti Alert, taking 
into consideration the need for the use of Ashanti 
Alerts to be limited in scope because the effective-
ness of the Ashanti Alert communications net-
work may be affected by overuse, including cri-
teria 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 re-
ports that an adult is missing is an appro-
priate 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 sub-
ject of an Ashanti Alert;
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‘‘(3) develop proposed protocols for efforts to re-
cover 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 appro-
priate, 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 en-
sure appropriate regional coordination of various ele-
ments of the network; 
‘‘(5) establish an advisory group to assist States, 
Indian Tribes, units of local government, law enforce-
ment agencies, and other entities involved in the 
Ashanti Alert communications network with initi-
ating, facilitating, and promoting Ashanti Alert 
plans, which shall include—
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‘‘(A) to the maximum extent practicable, 
representation from the various geographic re-
gions of the United States; and 
‘‘(B) members who are— 
‘‘(i) representatives of adult citizen ad-
vocacy groups, law enforcement agencies, 
victim service providers (as defined in sec-
tion 40002(a) of the Violence Against 
Women Act of 1994 (34 U.S.C. 12291(a)), 
and public safety communications; 
‘‘(ii) broadcasters, first responders, dis-
patchers, and radio station personnel; and 
‘‘(iii) representatives of any other indi-
viduals or organizations that the Coordi-
nator determines are necessary to the suc-
cess 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 Communica-
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tions 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
COORDINA-
TION.—The Coordinator shall consult with local 
broadcasters and State, Tribal, and local law enforce-
ment 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 estab-
lishing 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;
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‘‘(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 ex-
tent the data is available— 
‘‘(i) the number of Ashanti Alerts 
issued; 
‘‘(ii) the number of missing adults lo-
cated successfully; 
‘‘(iii) the average period of time be-
tween 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 au-
thority issuing Ashanti Alerts, and the 
process by which Ashanti Alerts are dis-
seminated; 
‘‘(v) the cost of establishing and oper-
ating 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
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crossed State lines or territorial borders of 
an Indian Tribe; 
‘‘(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, care-
givers, law enforcement officials, and other au-
thorities; and 
‘‘(F) any other information the Coordinator 
determines to be appropriate. 
‘‘SEC. 204. MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR ISSUANCE AND DIS-
SEMINATION 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 net-
work. 
‘‘(b) LIMITATIONS.—
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‘‘(1) DISSEMINATION
OF
INFORMATION.—The 
minimum standards established under subsection (a) 
shall, to the maximum extent practicable (as deter-
mined by the Coordinator in consultation with State, 
Tribal, and local law enforcement agencies), provide 
for the dissemination of appropriate information re-
lating to the special needs of a missing adult (includ-
ing health care needs) to the appropriate law enforce-
ment, 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 geo-
graphic 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 disappear-
ance.
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‘‘(3) OTHER
REQUIREMENTS.—The minimum 
standards established under subsection (a) shall re-
quire that, in order for an Ashanti Alert to be issued 
for a missing adult, the missing adult— 
‘‘(A) suffers from a proven mental or phys-
ical disability, as documented by a source deter-
mined credible by an appropriate law enforce-
ment 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. 
‘‘(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
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and sensitive medical information of missing 
adults; and 
‘‘(C) include standards requiring, as appro-
priate, a review of relevant court records, prior 
contacts with law enforcement, and other infor-
mation relevant to the missing adult or the indi-
vidual reporting, in order to provide protections 
against domestic violence. 
‘‘(5) STATE, TRIBAL, AND LOCAL VOLUNTARY CO-
ORDINATION.—In establishing minimum standards 
under subsection (a), the Coordinator may not inter-
fere with the system of voluntary coordination be-
tween local broadcasters and State, Tribal, and local 
law enforcement agencies for purposes of regional and 
local search efforts for missing adults that was in ef-
fect 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, In-
dian Tribes, units of local government, law enforcement
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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 per-
sonnel— 
‘‘(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, tech-
nologies, and resources in Ashanti Alert plans; and 
‘‘(2) informational materials, including bro-
chures, 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 Attor-
ney General $3,000,000 to carry out the Ashanti Alert com-
munications network as authorized under this title for each 
of fiscal years 2019 through 2022.’’.
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SEC. 3. EMERGENCY FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSIST-
ANCE. 
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’’. 
Attest: 
Secretary.