I 
113TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5361 
To encourage, enhance, and integrate Silver Alert plans throughout the 
United States, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 31, 2014 
Mr. MURPHY of Florida (for himself and Mr. JOYCE) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To encourage, enhance, and integrate Silver Alert plans 
throughout the United States, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Silver Alert 
Act of 2014’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act— 
(1) the term ‘‘missing senior’’ means any indi-
vidual who— 
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(A) is reported to, or identified by, a law 
enforcement agency as a missing person; and 
(B) meets the requirements to be des-
ignated as a missing senior, as determined by 
the State in which the individual is reported or 
identified as a missing person; and 
(2) 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. 3. SILVER ALERT COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Attorney General shall, sub-
ject to the availability of appropriations, establish a na-
tional Silver Alert communications network within the De-
partment of Justice to provide assistance to regional and 
local search efforts for missing seniors through the initi-
ation, facilitation, and promotion of local elements of the 
network (known as Silver Alert plans) in coordination with 
States, units of local government, law enforcement agen-
cies, and other concerned entities with expertise in pro-
viding services to seniors. 
(b) COORDINATION WITH AMBER ALERT NET-
WORK.—In establishing the Silver Alert communications 
network under subsection (a), the Attorney General shall 
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ensure that, when feasible, the Silver Alert communica-
tions network is able to operate in coordination with the 
AMBER Alert communications network, established under 
subtitle A of title III of the PROTECT Act (42 U.S.C. 
5791 et seq.), to maximize the efficiency of both networks. 
SEC. 4. SILVER ALERT COORDINATOR. 
(a) NATIONAL COORDINATOR WITHIN DEPARTMENT 
OF JUSTICE.—The Attorney General shall designate an 
individual within the Department of Justice to act as the 
national coordinator of the Silver Alert communications 
network. The individual so designated shall be known as 
the Silver Alert Coordinator of the Department of Justice 
(referred to in this Act as the ‘‘Coordinator’’). 
(b) DUTIES OF THE COORDINATOR.—In acting as the 
national coordinator of the Silver Alert communications 
network, the Coordinator shall— 
(1) work with States to encourage the develop-
ment of additional Silver Alert plans in the network; 
(2) establish voluntary guidelines for States to 
use in developing Silver Alert plans that will pro-
mote compatible and integrated Silver Alert plans 
throughout the United States, including— 
(A) a list of the resources necessary to es-
tablish a Silver Alert plan; 
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(B) criteria for evaluating whether a situa-
tion warrants issuing a Silver Alert, taking into 
consideration the need for the use of Silver 
Alerts to be limited in scope because the effec-
tiveness of the Silver Alert communications net-
work may be affected by overuse, including cri-
teria to determine— 
(i) whether the mental capacity of a 
senior who is missing, and the cir-
cumstances of the disappearance of the 
senior, warrant the issuance of a Silver 
Alert; and 
(ii) 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 Alert; 
(C) a description of the appropriate uses of 
the Silver Alert name to readily identify the na-
ture of search efforts for missing seniors; and 
(D) recommendations on how to protect 
the privacy, dignity, independence, and auton-
omy of any missing senior who may be the sub-
ject of a Silver Alert; 
(3) develop proposed protocols for efforts to re-
cover missing seniors and to reduce the number of 
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seniors who are reported missing, including protocols 
for procedures that are needed from the time of ini-
tial notification of a law enforcement agency that a 
senior is missing through the time of the return of 
the senior 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; and 
(E) incident review, evaluation, debriefing, 
and public information procedures; 
(4) work with States to ensure appropriate re-
gional coordination of various elements of the Silver 
Alert communications network; 
(5) establish an advisory group to assist States, 
units of local government, law enforcement agencies, 
and other entities involved in the Silver Alert com-
munications network with initiating, facilitating, and 
promoting Silver Alert plans, which shall include— 
(A) to the maximum extent practicable, 
representation from the various geographic re-
gions of the United States; and 
(B) members who are— 
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(i) representatives of senior citizen ad-
vocacy groups, law enforcement agencies, 
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 Silver Alert communications 
network; and 
(6) act as the nationwide point of contact for— 
(A) the development of the Silver Alert 
communications network; and 
(B) regional coordination of alerts for 
missing seniors through the Silver Alert com-
munications network. 
(c) COORDINATION.— 
(1) COORDINATION WITH OTHER AGENCIES.— 
The Coordinator shall coordinate and consult with 
the Secretary of Transportation, the Federal Com-
munications Commission, the Assistant Secretary for 
Aging of the Department of Health and Human 
Services, the head of the Missing Alzheimer’s Dis-
ease Patient Alert Program of the Department of 
Justice, and other appropriate offices of the Depart-
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ment of Justice in carrying out activities under this 
Act. 
(2) STATE
AND
LOCAL
COORDINATION.—The 
Coordinator shall consult with local broadcasters and 
State and local law enforcement agencies in estab-
lishing minimum standards under section 5 and in 
carrying out other activities under this Act, as ap-
propriate. 
(d) ANNUAL REPORTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this Act, and annually 
thereafter, 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 plan. 
(2) CONTENTS.—Each report submitted under 
paragraph (1) shall include— 
(A) a list of States that have established 
Silver Alert plans; 
(B) a list of States that are in the process 
of establishing Silver Alert plans; 
(C) for each State that has established a 
Silver Alert plan, to the extent the data is avail-
able— 
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(i) the number of Silver Alerts issued; 
(ii) the number of individuals located 
successfully; 
(iii) the average period of time be-
tween the issuance of a Silver Alert and 
the location of the individual for whom 
such Alert was issued; 
(iv) the State agency or authority 
issuing Silver Alerts, and the process by 
which Silver Alerts are disseminated; 
(v) the cost of establishing and oper-
ating the Silver Alert plan; 
(vi) the criteria used by the State to 
determine whether to issue a Silver Alert; 
and 
(vii) the extent to which missing indi-
viduals for whom Silver Alerts were issued 
crossed State lines; 
(D) actions States have taken to protect 
the privacy and dignity of the individuals for 
whom Silver Alerts are issued; 
(E) ways that States have facilitated and 
improved communication about missing individ-
uals between families, caregivers, law enforce-
ment officials, and other authorities; and 
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(F) any other information the Coordinator 
determines to be appropriate. 
SEC. 5. MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR ISSUANCE AND DIS-
SEMINATION OF ALERTS THROUGH SILVER 
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 Silver 
Alert communications network; and 
(2) the extent of the dissemination of alerts 
issued through the Silver Alert network. 
(b) LIMITATIONS.— 
(1) VOLUNTARY
PARTICIPATION.—The min-
imum standards established under subsection (a) of 
this section, and any other guidelines and programs 
established under section 4, shall be adoptable on a 
voluntary basis only. 
(2) DISSEMINATION
OF
INFORMATION.—The 
minimum standards shall, to the maximum extent 
practicable (as determined by the Coordinator in 
consultation with State and local law enforcement 
agencies), provide that appropriate information re-
lating to the special needs of a missing senior (in-
cluding health care needs) is disseminated to the ap-
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propriate law enforcement, public health, and other 
public officials. 
(3) GEOGRAPHIC AREAS.—The minimum stand-
ards shall, to the maximum extent practicable (as 
determined by the Coordinator in consultation with 
State and local law enforcement agencies), provide 
that the dissemination of an alert through the Silver 
Alert communications network be limited to the geo-
graphic areas which the missing senior could reason-
ably reach, considering the circumstances and phys-
ical and mental condition of the missing senior, the 
modes of transportation available to the missing sen-
ior, and the circumstances of the disappearance. 
(4) 
AGE
REQUIREMENTS.—The 
minimum 
standards shall not include any specific age require-
ment for an individual to be classified as a missing 
senior for purposes of the Silver Alert communica-
tion network. Age requirements for determinations 
of whether an individual is a missing senior shall be 
determined by each State, and may vary from State 
to State. 
(5) PRIVACY
AND
CIVIL
LIBERTIES
PROTEC-
TIONS.—The minimum standards shall— 
(A) ensure that alerts issued through the 
Silver Alert communications network comply 
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with all applicable Federal, State, and local pri-
vacy laws and regulations; and 
(B) include standards that specifically pro-
vide for the protection of the civil liberties and 
sensitive medical information of missing sen-
iors. 
(6) STATE AND LOCAL VOLUNTARY COORDINA-
TION.—In carrying out the activities under sub-
section (a), the Coordinator may not interfere with 
the current system of voluntary coordination be-
tween local broadcasters and State and local law en-
forcement agencies for purposes of the Silver Alert 
communications network. 
SEC. 6. TRAINING AND OTHER RESOURCES. 
(a) TRAINING AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS.—The 
Coordinator shall make available to States, units of local 
government, law enforcement agencies, and other con-
cerned entities that are involved in initiating, facilitating, 
or promoting Silver Alert plans, including broadcasters, 
first responders, dispatchers, public safety communica-
tions personnel, and radio station personnel— 
(1) training and educational programs related 
to the Silver Alert communication network and the 
capabilities, limitations, and anticipated behaviors of 
missing seniors, which shall be updated regularly to 
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encourage the use of new tools, technologies, and re-
sources in Silver Alert plans; and 
(2) informational materials, including bro-
chures, videos, posters, and web sites to support and 
supplement such training and educational programs. 
(b) COORDINATION.—The Coordinator shall coordi-
nate— 
(1) 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 (a); and 
(2) with the head of the Missing Alzheimer’s 
Disease Patient Alert Program of the Department of 
Justice to determine if any existing material with re-
spect to training programs or educational materials 
developed or used as part of the Missing Alzheimer’s 
Disease Patient Alert Program are appropriate and 
may be used for the programs under subsection (a). 
SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE 
SILVER ALERT COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK. 
There are authorized to be appropriated to the De-
partment of Justice $500,000 to carry out the Silver Alert 
communications network as authorized under this Act. 
Æ 
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