Corey Adams Searchlight Act
Bill: H.R.9590 | Sponsor: Rep. Moore, Gwen (D-WI)
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement

Summary:
Corey Adams Searchlight Act
This bill directs the Department of Justice to establish a national communications network—the Green Alert communications network—to support regional and local search efforts for missing veterans.
The Green Alert communications network must operate in coordination with the AMBER Alert communications network (i.e., the communications network that supports search efforts for abducted children) and any other state alert networks.

To encourage, enhance, and integrate Green 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 ``Corey Adams Searchlight Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Missing veteran.--The term ``missing veteran'' means an 
        individual who--
                    (A) is reported to, or identified by, a law 
                enforcement agency as a missing person;
                    (B) is a veteran; and
                    (C) meets the requirements to be designated as a 
                missing veteran, as determined by the State in which 
                the individual is reported or identified as a missing 
                person.
            (2) 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.
            (3) Green alert.--The term ``Green Alert'' means an alert 
        issued through the Green Alert communications network, related 
        to a missing veteran.
            (4) Veteran.--The term ``veteran'' means an individual who 
        is currently serving or a former member who served in the 
        United States Armed Forces, including National Guard, or a 
        Reserve or auxiliary unit from any branch of the Armed Forces.

SEC. 3. GREEN ALERT COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK.

    (a) In General.--The Attorney General shall, subject to the 
availability of appropriations, establish a national communications 
network, to be known as the Green Alert communications network, within 
the Department of Justice to provide assistance to regional and local 
search efforts for missing veterans through the initiation, 
facilitation, and promotion of local elements of the network (referred 
to in this Act as ``Green Alert plans''), in coordination with States, 
federally or State recognized Tribes, units of local government, law 
enforcement agencies, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and other 
concerned entities with expertise in providing services to veterans.
    (b) Coordination With AMBER Alert Network and Other Alert 
Networks.--In establishing the Green Alert communications network under 
subsection (a), the Attorney General shall work with States to ensure, 
when feasible, the Green Alert communications network is able to 
operate in coordination with a State's existing AMBER Alert 
communications network, established under subtitle A of title III of 
the PROTECT Act (34 U.S.C. 20501 et seq.), and any other State alert 
networks, to maximize the efficiency of all such alert systems, and to 
prevent overuse or improper activations of such networks.

SEC. 4. GREEN ALERT COORDINATOR.

    (a) National Coordinator Within Department of Justice.--The 
Attorney General shall designate an individual of the Department of 
Justice to act as the national coordinator of the Green Alert 
communications network. The individual so designated shall be known as 
the Green 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 Green Alert communications network, the Coordinator 
shall--
            (1) work with States and Tribal governments to encourage 
        the development of additional Green Alert plans in the network;
            (2) assess the ability of each State to implement Green 
        Alerts, including the ability and resources available to each 
        State to broadcast such alerts;
            (3) establish voluntary guidelines for States to use in 
        developing Green Alert plans that will promote compatible and 
        integrated Green Alert plans throughout the United States, 
        including--
                    (A) a list of the resources necessary to establish 
                a Green Alert plan;
                    (B) criteria for evaluating whether a situation 
                warrants issuing a Green Alert, taking into 
                consideration the need to prevent overuse or 
                desensitization to such alerts, including criteria to 
                determine--
                            (i) whether the mental or physical capacity 
                        of a veteran who is missing, and the 
                        circumstances of his or her disappearance, 
                        warrant the issuance of a Green Alert, 
                        including whether the veteran has a condition 
                        related to the veteran's service in the Armed 
                        Forces that increases the risk that the veteran 
                        will harm himself or herself, or another 
                        person; and
                            (ii) whether the individual who reports 
                        that a veteran is missing is an appropriate and 
                        credible source on which to base the issuance 
                        of a Green Alert;
                    (C) a description of the appropriate uses of the 
                Green Alert name to readily identify the nature of 
                search efforts for missing veterans; and
                    (D) recommendations on how to protect the privacy, 
                dignity, independence, and autonomy of any missing 
                veteran who may be the subject of a Green Alert;
            (4) develop proposed protocols for efforts to recover 
        missing veterans and to reduce the number of veterans who are 
        reported missing, including protocols for procedures that are 
        needed from the time of initial notification of a law 
        enforcement agency that the veteran is missing through the time 
        of the return of the veteran to family, guardian, or domicile, 
        as appropriate, 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;
            (5) work with States and Tribal governments to ensure 
        appropriate regional coordination of various elements of the 
        network;
            (6) establish an advisory board to assist States, Tribal 
        governments, units of local government, law enforcement 
        agencies, and other entities involved in the Green Alert 
        communications network with initiating, facilitating, and 
        promoting Green 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 veteran advocacy 
                        groups, law enforcement agencies, and public 
                        safety communications;
                            (ii) broadcasters, first responders, 
                        dispatchers, and radio station personnel;
                            (iii) representatives from the Department 
                        of Veterans Affairs and representatives of 
                        State veterans agencies or offices;
                            (iv) federally recognized tribes or tribes 
                        recognized by the State; and
                            (v) representatives of any other 
                        individuals or organizations that the 
                        Coordinator determines are necessary to the 
                        success of the Green Alert communications 
                        network; and
            (7) act as the nationwide point of contact for--
                    (A) the development of the network; and
                    (B) regional coordination of alerts for missing 
                veterans 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 
        Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Secretary of the Interior, and 
        other appropriate offices of the Department of Justice in 
        carrying out activities under this Act.
            (2) State and local coordination.--The Coordinator shall 
        consult with local broadcasters and State, Tribal, and local 
        law enforcement agencies in establishing minimum standards 
        under section 5 and in carrying out other activities under this 
        Act, as appropriate.
    (d) Annual Reports.--Not later than one 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 Green Alert plans of each State 
that has established or is in the process of establishing such a plan. 
Each such report shall include--
            (1) a list of States that have established Green Alert 
        plans;
            (2) a list of States that are in the process of 
        establishing Green Alert plans;
            (3) for each State that has established such a plan, to the 
        extent the data is available--
                    (A) the number of Green Alerts issued;
                    (B) a summary of the efforts by the State to 
                coordinate with and engage tribal governments and 
                ensure that tribal communities are included in their 
                Green Alert plans, including in the issuance of Green 
                Alerts;
                    (C) the number of individuals located successfully;
                    (D) the average period of time between the issuance 
                of a Green Alert and the location of the individual for 
                whom such Alert was issued;
                    (E) the State, local, or Tribal agencies or 
                authorities issuing Green Alerts, and the process by 
                which Green Alerts are disseminated;
                    (F) the cost of establishing and operating such a 
                plan;
                    (G) the criteria used by the State to determine 
                whether to issue a Green Alert; and
                    (H) the extent to which missing individuals for 
                whom Green Alerts were issued crossed State lines;
            (4) actions States have taken to protect the privacy and 
        dignity of the individuals for whom Green Alerts are issued;
            (5) ways that States have facilitated and improved 
        communication about missing individuals between families, 
        caregivers, law enforcement officials, and other authorities; 
        and
            (6) any other information the Coordinator determines to be 
        appropriate.

SEC. 5. MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR ISSUANCE AND DISSEMINATION OF ALERTS 
              THROUGH GREEN ALERT COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK.

    (a) Establishment of Minimum Standards.--Subject to subsection (b), 
the Coordinator, in consultation with the Department of Veterans 
Affairs and the Advisory Committee, shall establish minimum standards 
for--
            (1) the issuance of alerts through the Green Alert 
        communications network; and
            (2) the extent of the dissemination of alerts issued 
        through the network.
    (b) Limitations.--
            (1) Voluntary participation.--The minimum 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, Tribal government, and 
        local law enforcement agencies), provide that appropriate 
        information relating to the special needs of a missing veteran 
        (including health care needs) are disseminated to the 
        appropriate law enforcement, public health, and other public 
        officials.
            (3) Geographic areas.--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 the dissemination of an alert through the Green 
        Alert communications network be limited to the geographic areas 
        which the missing veteran could reasonably reach, considering 
        the missing veteran's circumstances and physical ability, the 
        modes of transportation available to the missing veteran, and 
        the circumstances of the disappearance.
            (4) Privacy and civil liberties protections.--The minimum 
        standards shall--
                    (A) ensure that alerts issued through the Green 
                Alert communications network comply with all applicable 
                Federal, State, and local privacy laws and regulations; 
                and
                    (B) include standards that specifically provide for 
                the protection of the privacy and sensitive medical 
                information of missing veterans.
            (5) State and local voluntary coordination.--In carrying 
        out the activities under subsection (a), the Coordinator may 
        not interfere with the current system of voluntary coordination 
        between local broadcasters and State and local law enforcement 
        agencies for purposes of the Green Alert communications 
        network.

SEC. 6. TRAINING AND OTHER RESOURCES.

    (a) Training and Educational Programs.--The Coordinator shall make 
available to States, Tribal governments, units of local government, law 
enforcement agencies, and other concerned entities that are involved in 
initiating, facilitating, or promoting Green Alerts, including 
broadcasters, first responders, dispatchers, public safety 
communications personnel, and radio station personnel--
            (1) training and educational programs related to the Green 
        Alert communications network and the capabilities, limitations, 
        and anticipated behaviors of missing veterans, which shall be 
        updated regularly to encourage the use of new tools, 
        technologies, and resources in Green Alert plans;
            (2) informational materials, including brochures, videos, 
        posters, and websites to support and supplement such training 
        and educational programs;
            (3) support, using funding authorized under section 7, to 
        create or integrate such Green alerts into an existing State 
        alert system;
            (4) funding, using funds authorized under section 7, for a 
        full time State Green Alert Coordinator to carry out the 
        State's Green Alert Plan; and
            (5) other assistance, as determined appropriate by the 
        Coordinator, to support the purposes of this Act.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE GREEN ALERT 
              COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to the Attorney General 
$3,000,000 to carry out the Green Alert communications network as 
authorized under this Act. States receiving assistance under this 
program must submit a Green Alert Plan containing any information that 
the Coordinator shall require. Such plan must include a description of 
how they intend to coordinate with other Alert systems in the State and 
work with Tribal governments in the State.
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