§2
Note
An Act concerning the “Silver Alert System” and amending P.L.2009, c.167.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 3 of P.L.2009, c.167 (C.52:17B-194.6) is amended to read as follows:
3. a. The Missing Persons [and Child Exploitation] Unit in the Division of State Police, in consultation with the Department of Transportation, shall develop a procedure for the use of overhead permanent changeable message signs to provide information on a missing person meeting the criteria set forth in section 2 of P.L.2009, c.167 (C.52:17B-194.5) when information is available that would enable motorists to assist in the recovery of the missing person.
b. The Missing Persons [and Child Exploitation] Unit and the Department of Transportation shall develop guidelines for the content, length, and frequency of any message to be placed on the overhead permanent changeable message sign.
c. The procedure and guidelines required in subsections a. and b. of this section shall provide at a minimum that:
(1) overhead permanent changeable message signs may be activated only if accurate motor vehicle information is available and it is confirmed that the person was driving the motor vehicle at the time of the disappearance; and
(2) the lead law enforcement agency, upon determining that a Silver Alert is warranted, shall contact the [Watch Operations Unit in the] New Jersey State Police Regional Operations Intelligence Center, which shall contact the Department of Transportation for activation of highway signs.
d. 1The Missing Persons Unit shall develop a procedure for the use of an emergency mass notification system with incident communications that facilitates rapid dissemination of urgent alerts to the public that contain information on a missing person by text message, voice call, electronic mail, mobile app notifications, social media platform, and any other user-friendly interface, as determined by the lead law enforcement agency, to provide information on a missing person meeting the criteria set forth in section 2 of P.L.2009, c.167 (C.52:17B-194.5), when information is available that would enable members of the public to assist in the recovery of the missing person.1
1[d.] e.1 The participating media [may] 1[shall] may voluntarily agree1 [voluntarily agree], upon notice of the issuance of a Silver Alert, [to] 1to1 inform the public of a person believed to be missing within their service regions. The notice shall be provided through the lead law enforcement agency. 1[The alert shall be read after a distinctive sound tone and the statement: “This is a Missing Person Silver Alert.” The alert shall be broadcast as often as possible, pursuant to the guidelines established by the New Jersey Broadcasters Association, for the first three hours. After the first three hours, the alert shall be rebroadcast at those intervals the lead law enforcement agency and the participating media deem appropriate.] In addition, “Missing Person Silver Alerts” and any other relevant or appropriate notification information shall be communicated to the public through an emergency mass notification system with incident communications, in accordance with procedures established by the Missing Persons Unit pursuant to subsection d. of this section.1
1[e.] f.1 The alerts shall terminate upon notice from the lead law enforcement agency.
1[f.] g.1 The alerts shall include a description of the missing person and [such] any other information as the lead law enforcement agency may deem pertinent and appropriate. The lead law enforcement agency shall, in a timely manner, update the media with new information regarding the missing person when appropriate.
1[g.] h.1 The alerts also shall provide information concerning how those members of the public who have information relating to the missing person may contact the lead law enforcement agency or the Missing Persons [and Child Exploitation] Unit in the Division of State Police.
1i. For purposes of this section, “emergency mass notification system with incident communications” means a communications platform capable of immediate mass notifications through mobile or other electronic devices on a Statewide or local level.1
(cf: P.L.2009, c.167, s.3)
2. This act shall take effect on the first day of the seventh month next following the date of enactment.
Requires Silver Alert System receive same broadcast alerts as Amber Alert System.