To encourage, enhance, and integrate Silver Alert plans throughout the United States, to authorize grants for the assistance of organizations to find missing adults, and for other purposes.

Bill: 110-hr-6064
Sponsor: Rep. Doggett, Lloyd [D-TX-25]
Introduced: 2008-05-15 in the House
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Criminal justice information
Data banks
Department of Justice
Economics and Public Finance
Emergency Management
Emergency communication systems
Executive reorganization
Federal aid to law enforcement
Federal officials
Federal-local relations
Federal-state relations
Government Operations and Politics
Grants-in-aid
Information networks
Law
Missing persons
Nonprofit organizations
Old age assistance
Police communication systems
Right of privacy
Science, Technology, Communications
Social Welfare
Standards

Summary:
action_date: 2008-05-15
text: 
National Silver Alert Act - Directs the Attorney General to: (1) establish a national Silver Alert communications network to assist regional and local search efforts for missing seniors; (2) assign a Department of Justice officer to serve as the Silver Alert Coordinator to coordinate the network with states; and (3) award grants to states for support of Silver Alert plans and the network. Defines &quot;missing senior&quot; as any individual who is reported as missing to or by a law enforcement agency and who meets state requirements for designation as a missing senior. 

Directs the Coordinator to: (1) establish minimum standards for the issuance of, and the extent of the dissemination of, alerts issued through the network; and (2) make available to states, local governments, law enforcement agencies, and other concerned entities network training and information.

action_date: 2008-09-08
text: 

Title I: Silver Alert Communications Network
 - National Silver Alert Act - (Sec. 102) Defines &quot;missing senior&quot; as any individual who is reported to, or identified by, a law enforcement agency as a missing person and who meets state requirements for designation as a missing senior.

(Sec. 103) Directs the Attorney General to establish a national Silver Alert Communications Network within the Department of Justice (DOJ) to assist regional and local search efforts for missing seniors.

(Sec. 104) Directs the Attorney General to designate in DOJ a national Silver Alert Communications Network Coordinator. Requires the Coordinator to: (1) work with states to encourage the development of additional Silver Alert plans in the network; (2) establish voluntary guidelines for states to use in developing Silver Alert plans; (3) develop proposed protocols for efforts to recover missing seniors and reduce the number of seniors who are reported missing; (4) establish an advisory group to assist states, local governments, law enforcement agencies, and other entities in the communications network; and (5) act as the nationwide point of contact for the development of the network and regional coordination of alerts for missing seniors. 

Requires the Coordinator to submit annual reports to Congress on the Coordinator's activities and the effectiveness and status of the Silver Alert plans of each state. Requires such report to include a list of states that have established Silver Alert plans and statistics about the recovery of missing persons. 

(Sec. 105) Requires the Coordinator to: (1) establish minimum standards for the issuance and dissemination of alerts through the Silver Alert Communications Network; (2) make available to states, local governments, and law enforcement agencies training and education programs and informational materials related to the communications network and (3) coordinate with the Assistant Secretary for Aging of the Department of Health and Human Services and the head of the Missing Alzheimer's Disease Patient Alert Program within DOJ in developing training and educational programs.

Authorizes appropriations to carry out the Silver Alert Communications Network.

(Sec. 108) Directs the Attorney General to make grants to states on an equitable basis throughout the United States for the development and enhancement of programs for the support of Silver Alert plans and the Silver Alert Communications Network. Authorizes appropriations for FY2009-FY2013.

(Sec. 109) Authorizes the Attorney General to award grants to states and local governments to carry out a program to provide voluntary electronic monitoring services to elderly individuals to assist in the location of such individuals if reported missing. Authorizes appropriations for FY2009-FY2014. Designates such grant program as the Sammy Kirk Voluntary Electronic Monitoring Program.

Title II: Kristen's Act Reauthorization
 - Kristen's Act Reauthorization of 2008 - (Sec. 203) - Directs the Attorney General to make competitive grants to public agencies and/or nonprofit private organizations to: (1) maintain a national resource center and information clearinghouse for missing and unidentified adults; (2) maintain a national, interconnected database for tracking missing adults who are determined by law enforcement to be endangered due to age, diminished mental capacity, or the circumstances of disappearance when foul play is suspected or circumstances are unknown; (3) coordinate public and private programs that locate or recover missing adults or reunite missing adults with their families; (4) provide assistance and training to law enforcement agencies, state and local governments, elements of the criminal justice system, nonprofit organizations, and individuals in the prevention, investigation, prosecution, and treatment of cases involving missing adults; (5) provide assistance to families in locating and recovering missing adults; and (6) assist in public notification and victim advocacy related to missing adults.

Directs the Attorney General to: (1) coordinate programs relating to missing adults that are funded by the federal government; and (2) encourage coordination between state and local law enforcement and public agencies and nonprofit organizations receiving a grant under this title.

(Sec. 204) Authorizes appropriations for FY2009-FY2019.

action_date: 2008-09-17
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on September 8, 2008. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Title I: Silver Alert Communications Network
 - National Silver Alert Act - (Sec. 102) Defines &quot;missing senior&quot; as any individual who is reported to, or identified by, a law enforcement agency as a missing person and who meets state requirements for designation as a missing senior.

(Sec. 103) Directs the Attorney General to establish a national Silver Alert Communications Network within the Department of Justice (DOJ) to assist regional and local search efforts for missing seniors.

(Sec. 104) Directs the Attorney General to designate in DOJ a national Silver Alert Communications Network Coordinator. Requires the Coordinator to: (1) work with states to encourage the development of additional Silver Alert plans in the network; (2) establish voluntary guidelines for states to use in developing Silver Alert plans; (3) develop proposed protocols for efforts to recover missing seniors and reduce the number of seniors who are reported missing; (4) establish an advisory group to assist states, local governments, law enforcement agencies, and other entities in the communications network; and (5) act as the nationwide point of contact for the development of the network and regional coordination of alerts for missing seniors. 

Requires the Coordinator to submit annual reports to Congress on the Coordinator's activities and the effectiveness and status of the Silver Alert plans of each state. Requires such report to include a list of states that have established Silver Alert plans and statistics about the recovery of missing persons. 

(Sec. 105) Requires the Coordinator to: (1) establish minimum standards for the issuance and dissemination of alerts through the Silver Alert Communications Network; (2) make available to states, local governments, and law enforcement agencies training and education programs and informational materials related to the communications network; and (3) coordinate with the Assistant Secretary for Aging of the Department of Health and Human Services and the head of the Missing Alzheimer's Disease Patient Alert Program within DOJ in developing training and educational programs.

Authorizes appropriations to carry out the Silver Alert Communications Network.

(Sec. 108) Directs the Attorney General to make grants to states on an equitable basis throughout the United States for the development and enhancement of programs for the support of Silver Alert plans and the Silver Alert Communications Network. Authorizes appropriations for FY2009-FY2013.

(Sec. 109) Authorizes the Attorney General to award grants to states and local governments to carry out a program to provide voluntary electronic monitoring services to elderly individuals to assist in the location of such individuals if reported missing. Authorizes appropriations for FY2009-FY2014. Designates such grant program as the Sammy Kirk Voluntary Electronic Monitoring Program.

Title II: Kristen's Act Reauthorization
 - Kristen's Act Reauthorization of 2008 - (Sec. 203) - Directs the Attorney General to make competitive grants to public agencies and/or nonprofit private organizations to: (1) maintain a national resource center and information clearinghouse for missing and unidentified adults; (2) maintain a national, interconnected database for tracking missing adults who are determined by law enforcement to be endangered due to age, diminished mental capacity, or the circumstances of disappearance when foul play is suspected or circumstances are unknown; (3) coordinate public and private programs that locate or recover missing adults or reunite missing adults with their families; (4) provide assistance and training to law enforcement agencies, state and local governments, elements of the criminal justice system, nonprofit organizations, and individuals in the prevention, investigation, prosecution, and treatment of cases involving missing adults; (5) provide assistance to families in locating and recovering missing adults; and (6) assist in public notification and victim advocacy related to missing adults.

Directs the Attorney General to: (1) coordinate programs relating to missing adults that are funded by the federal government; and (2) encourage coordination between state and local law enforcement and public agencies and nonprofit organizations receiving a grant under this title.

(Sec. 204) Authorizes appropriations for FY2009-FY2019.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-10-02
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2008-09-17
text: Received in the Senate.
action_date: 2008-09-17
text: The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2008-09-17
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2008-09-17
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text CR 9/15/2008 H8078-8080)
action_date: 2008-09-17
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text CR 9/15/2008 H8078-8080)
action_date: 2008-09-17
text: Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H8368-8369)
action_date: 2008-09-15
text: At the conclusion of debate, the chair put the question on the motion to suspend the rules. Mr. Issa objected to the vote on the grounds that a quorum was not present. Further proceedings on the motion were postponed. The point of no quorum was withdrawn.
action_date: 2008-09-15
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 6064.
action_date: 2008-09-15
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H8078-8083)
action_date: 2008-09-15
text: Mr. Scott (VA) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2008-09-08
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 531.
action_date: 2008-09-08
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 110-825.
action_date: 2008-09-08
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 110-825.
action_date: 2008-07-30
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2008-07-30
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2008-07-28
text: Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security Discharged.
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2008-07-14
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
action_date: 2008-05-15
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
action_date: 2008-05-15
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-05-15
text: Introduced in House