Bill H.603 186th (2009 - 2010)

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4313        FILED ON: 4/17/2009

HOUSE  .   .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 603

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Kathi -Anne Reinstein

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
              Court assembled:

              The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the passage of the accompanying bill:

An Act to create a silver al ert program to protect seniors.

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PETITION OF:

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
 

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In the Year Two Thousand and Nine

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An Act to create a silver alert program to protect seniors.


 

              Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1.Chapter 22 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section :– Sectio n 21 .   There is hereby created the silver alert community response system.  The system shall be used in alerting designated Massachusetts communities in cases involving missing and endangered older adults . (a).  The s ilver a lert community response system shall: Be used when an adult with serious memory impairment such as Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia is appropriately reported to any police department in Massachusetts as a missing person. 

1.        Direct and focus law enforcement and other key response resources in a cost-effective way i n a geographic area consistent with the missing person’s “Point Last Known” and in accordance with the best available research data.

(b).  The e xecutive o ffice of p ublic s afety, in conjunction with the m unicipal p olice t raining c ommittee shall develop and implement the s ilver a lert system in consultation with representatives of the e xecutive o ffice of e lder a ffairs, a ttorney g eneral’s o ffice, Massachusetts e mergency m anagement a gency, s tate p olice, c hiefs of p olice a ssociation, county s heriff’s d epartments and d istrict a ttorney’s o ffices, d epartment of c onservation and r ecreation ( r angers), and Massachusetts/New Hampshire c hapter of the n ational Alzheimer’s a ssociation.

(c).  All first responders, 911 operators and any other appropriate personnel shall be trained on the s ilver a lert system application and protocols; re-training will be included in yearly in-service trainings for these personnel; training will include information about older drivers whose memory impairments may put them at high risk for crashes or becoming lost while driving.

(d).  The e xecutive o ffice of p ublic s afety shall develop a plan to ensure that the Silver Alert system will include use of a localized reverse 911 emergency phone system.

(e). The s ilver a lert system shall coordinate and be interoperable with the national MedicAlert ®+Safe Return Program® in use by the Alzheimer’s a ssociation.