S.B. No. 1315

	AN ACT
	relating to a silver alert for missing senior citizens.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Chapter 411, Government Code, is amended by
	adding Subchapter M to read as follows:
	SUBCHAPTER M. SILVER ALERT FOR MISSING SENIOR CITIZENS
	Sec. 411.381.  DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
	(1)  "Alert" means the statewide silver alert for
	missing senior citizens developed and implemented under this
	subchapter.
	(2)  "Local law enforcement agency" means a local law
	enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the investigation of a
	missing senior citizen.
	(3)  "Senior citizen" means a person who is 65 years of
	age or older.
	Sec. 411.382.  SILVER ALERT FOR MISSING SENIOR CITIZENS.
	With the cooperation of the Texas Department of Transportation, the
	office of the governor, and other appropriate law enforcement
	agencies in this state, the department shall develop and implement
	a statewide silver alert to be activated on behalf of a missing
	senior citizen.
	Sec. 411.383.  ADMINISTRATION. (a)  The director is the
	statewide coordinator of the alert.
	(b)  The director shall adopt rules and issue directives as
	necessary to ensure proper implementation of the alert. The rules
	and directives must include:
	(1)  the procedures to be used by a local law
	enforcement agency to verify whether a senior citizen:
	(A)  is missing; and
	(B)  has an impaired mental condition;
	(2)  a description of the circumstances under which a
	local law enforcement agency is required to report a missing senior
	citizen to the department; and
	(3)  the procedures to be used by an individual or
	entity to report information about a missing senior citizen to
	designated media outlets in Texas.
	Sec. 411.384.  DEPARTMENT TO RECRUIT PARTICIPANTS. The
	department shall recruit public and commercial television and radio
	broadcasters, private commercial entities, state or local
	governmental entities, the public, and other appropriate persons to
	assist in developing and implementing the alert.
	Sec. 411.385.  DUTIES OF TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
	The Texas Department of Transportation shall:
	(1)  cooperate with the department and assist in
	developing and implementing the alert; and
	(2)  establish a plan for providing relevant
	information to the public through an existing system of dynamic
	message signs located across the state.
	Sec. 411.386.  NOTIFICATION TO DEPARTMENT OF MISSING SENIOR
	CITIZEN. (a)  A local law enforcement agency may notify the
	department if the agency:
	(1)  receives notice of a missing senior citizen;
	(2)  verifies that at the time the senior citizen is
	reported missing:
	(A)  the person reported missing is 65 years of
	age or older;
	(B)  the senior citizen's location is unknown;
	(C)  the senior citizen's domicile is in Texas;
	and
	(D)  the senior citizen has an impaired mental
	condition; and
	(3)  determines that the senior citizen's disappearance
	poses a credible threat to the senior citizen's health and safety.
	(b)  The local law enforcement agency shall:
	(1)  require the family or legal guardian of the
	missing senior citizen to provide documentation of the senior
	citizen's impaired mental condition to verify the condition as
	required by Subsection (a)(2)(D); and
	(2)  as soon as practicable, determine whether the
	senior citizen's disappearance poses a credible threat to the
	senior citizen's health and safety for purposes of Subsection
	(a)(3).
	Sec. 411.387.  ACTIVATION OF SILVER ALERT. (a)  When a
	local law enforcement agency notifies the department under Section
	411.386, the department shall confirm the accuracy of the
	information and, if confirmed, immediately issue an alert under
	this subchapter in accordance with department rules.
	(b)  In issuing the alert, the department shall send the
	alert to designated media outlets in Texas. Following receipt of
	the alert, participating radio stations, television stations, and
	other media outlets may issue the alert at designated intervals to
	assist in locating the missing senior citizen.
	Sec. 411.388.  CONTENT OF SILVER ALERT. The alert must
	include:
	(1)  all appropriate information that is provided by
	the local law enforcement agency and that may lead to the safe
	recovery of the missing senior citizen; and
	(2)  a statement instructing any person with
	information related to the missing senior citizen to contact a
	local law enforcement agency.
	Sec. 411.389.  TERMINATION OF SILVER ALERT. (a)  The
	director shall terminate any activation of the alert with respect
	to a particular missing senior citizen not later than the earlier of
	the date on which:
	(1)  the missing senior citizen is located or the
	situation is otherwise resolved; or
	(2)  the notification period ends, as determined by
	department rule.
	(b)  A local law enforcement agency that locates a missing
	senior citizen who is the subject of an alert under this subchapter
	shall notify the department as soon as possible that the missing
	senior citizen has been located.
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.
	____________________________________________________________
	President of the Senate             Speaker of the House
	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1315 passed the Senate on
	April 19, 2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.
	______________________________
	Secretary of the Senate
	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1315 passed the House on
	May 1, 2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 146, Nays 0, one present
	not voting.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House
	Approved:
	______________________________
	______________________________
	Date
	______________________________
	______________________________
	Governor