BILL NUMBER: S10664
SPONSOR: FAHY
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the executive law, in relation to establishing a purple
alert program to assist in the location and safe recovery of missing
vulnerable persons
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To create a statewide public notification system to assist in locating
and safely recovering individuals with intellectual and developmental
disabilities.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends the executive law by adding a new section 237 creating
a purple alert program. The new section provides definitions for "miss-
ing vulnerable person" and "purple alert," and directs the state police
to establish and administer a purple alert program to assist in the
location and safe recovery of people with intellectual and developmental
disabilities. The section also provides guidelines for activation of the
program and lists acceptable methods for the dissemination of informa-
tion regarding missing vulnerable people.
Section 2 states the enacting date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Every day, around 2,300 people are reported missing in the United
States. In recognition of this, and to protect especially vulnerable
populations, all 50 states have Amber Alert systems for abducted chil-
dren, and 37 states have Silver Alert systems for missing elderly
persons. These notification systems provide a critical, urgent service
by notifying communities and greatly increasing the likelihood that the
missing individual is found. According to the Department of Justice,
since its creation in 1996, over 1,300 children have been found due to
the activation of an Amber Alert.
The tragic drowning of Harbe Nagi, a seven year old boy with autism from
Guilderland, New York, brought to light a gap in the Amber Alert system,
which is specifically targeted for abducted children, not children with
special needs who may be missing. This legislation would direct the
state police to establish a Purple Alert system that could be used to
send out notifications to assist in locating people with disabilities.
It would help fill a gap by coordinating law enforcement and mobilizing
communities to quickly and safely locate missing individuals with intel-
lectual and developmental disabilities. Individuals with developmental
disabilities, such as autism or Down syndrome, or people with traumatic
brain injuries, or other cognitive or neurological impairments, may be
unable to communicate or care for themselves if they are lost or
confused. These individuals are extremely vulnerable and a coordinated
and fast response from law enforcement is critical in ensuring their
safe recovery.
By enacting this legislation, New York State would join six other states
in creating a statewide Purple Alert system.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a law.