85R126 LHC-D
	By: Uresti	S.B. No. 1622

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to the creation of a statewide alert system for missing
	military members.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Chapter 411, Government Code, is amended by
	adding Subchapter P to read as follows:
	SUBCHAPTER P. CAMO ALERT FOR MISSING MILITARY MEMBERS
	Sec. 411.441.  DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
	(1)  "Alert" means the statewide camo alert for missing
	military members that is 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 military member.
	(3)  "Military member" means a person who is a current
	or former member of the United States armed forces, including the
	National Guard or a reserve or auxiliary unit of any branch of the
	armed forces.
	Sec. 411.442.  CAMO ALERT FOR MISSING MILITARY MEMBERS.
	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 camo alert to be activated on behalf of a missing
	military member who suffers from a mental illness, including
	post-traumatic stress disorder, or a traumatic brain injury.
	Sec. 411.443.  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 military member:
	(A)  is missing; and
	(B)  suffers from a mental illness, including
	post-traumatic stress disorder, or a traumatic brain injury;
	(2)  a description of the circumstances under which a
	local law enforcement agency is required to report a missing
	military member to the department; and
	(3)  the procedures to be used by an individual or
	entity to report information about a missing military member to
	designated media outlets in Texas.
	(c)  The director shall prescribe forms for use by local law
	enforcement agencies in requesting activation of the alert system.
	Sec. 411.444.  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 system.
	Sec. 411.445.  STATE AGENCIES. (a) A state agency
	participating in the alert system shall:
	(1)  cooperate with the department and assist in
	developing and implementing the alert system; and
	(2)  establish a plan for providing relevant
	information to its officers, investigators, or employees, as
	appropriate, once the alert system has been activated.
	(b)  In addition to its duties as a state agency under
	Subsection (a), the Texas Department of Transportation shall
	establish a plan for providing relevant information to the public
	through an existing system of dynamic message signs located across
	the state.
	Sec. 411.446.  NOTIFICATION TO DEPARTMENT OF MISSING
	MILITARY MEMBER. (a) A local law enforcement agency shall notify
	the department if the agency:
	(1)  receives notice of a missing military member;
	(2)  verifies that at the time the military member is
	reported missing:
	(A)  the person reported missing is a military
	member;
	(B)  the military member's location is unknown;
	(C)  the military member's domicile is in Texas;
	and
	(D)  the military member suffers from a mental
	illness, including post-traumatic stress disorder, or a traumatic
	brain injury; and
	(3)  determines that the military member's
	disappearance poses a credible threat to the military member's
	health and safety or the health and safety of another.
	(b)  The local law enforcement agency shall:
	(1)  require the family or legal guardian of the
	missing military member to provide documentation of the military
	member's mental illness to verify the condition as required by
	Subsection (a)(2)(D); and
	(2)  as soon as practicable, determine whether the
	military member's disappearance poses a credible threat to the
	military member's health and safety or the health and safety of
	another for purposes of Subsection (a)(3).
	Sec. 411.447.  ACTIVATION OF CAMO ALERT. (a) When a local
	law enforcement agency notifies the department under Section
	411.446, 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 military member.
	Sec. 411.448.  CONTENT OF CAMO ALERT. The alert must
	include:
	(1)  all appropriate information that is provided by
	the local law enforcement agency under Section 411.446 and that may
	lead to the safe recovery of the missing military member; and
	(2)  a statement instructing any person with
	information related to the missing military member to contact a
	local law enforcement agency.
	Sec. 411.449.  TERMINATION OF CAMO ALERT. (a) The director
	shall terminate any activation of the alert with respect to a
	particular missing military member not later than the earlier of
	the date on which:
	(1)  the missing military member 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
	military member who is the subject of an alert under this subchapter
	shall notify the department as soon as possible that the missing
	military member has been located.
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.