Relating to a green alert system for missing at-risk veterans, and making penalties applicable

This bill requires the department of public safety (department) to establish a nonpublic green alert system to facilitate professional coordination for the location and assistance of a missing at-risk veteran. A green alert shall be activated if a veteran is reported missing under circumstances suggesting that the veteran is at risk by a person who provides adequate personal contact information and the report of the at-risk veteran is verified by a peace officer or public safety official. The officer or official must document the basis for activating the green alert. A green alert must be reviewed every hours and terminated upon verification that the veteran has been located or the risk has passed.6 (false reports to or communications with public safety entities), a simple misdemeanor. A simple misdemeanor is punishable by confinement for no more than days and a fine of at least $105 but not more than $855. The bill prohibits the department from disseminating a green alert to the general public or using a publicly accessible notification method. Information related to an active green alert may only be disseminated to the entities listed in the bill. The bill requires a response for a green alert to prioritize de-escalation, voluntary engagement, and trauma-informed practices, and prohibits the green alert from being used to initiate an arrest absent independent probable cause, conduct a warrantless detention, justify involuntary commitment, or circumvent constitutional protections or statutory due process requirements. The bill provides that the green alert system must operate independently from public emergency alert channels and must not delay or interfere with the prioritization of a public emergency alert related to child abduction or an imminent threat to the public. The bill requires the department to maintain annual statistics on the green alert system, while ensuring all personally identifiable information is protected. Personally identifiable information related to a green alert shall not be publicly released without the consent of the veteran or the veteran’s legal representative.