AMENDED IN SENIOR SENATE OCTOBER 20, 2008
SENIOR SENATE PROPOSAL NO. 6
INTRODUCED BY SENIOR SENATOR MURPHY
(COAUTHOR: SENIOR ASSEMBLY MEMBER SONNEFELD)
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SP 6: ALZHEIMER SILVER ALERT PROGRAM.
UNDER EXISTING LAW, LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES THAT ARE INFORMED OF THE ABDUCTION OF A CHILD 17 YEARS OF AGE OR YOUNGER, OR AN INDIVIDUAL WITH A PROVEN MENTAL OR PHYSICAL DISABILITY, ARE REQUIRED, UNDER SPECIFIED CIRCUMSTANCES, TO REQUEST THE ACTIVATION OF THE EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM WITHIN THE APPROPRIATE LOCAL AREA.
THIS MEASURE WOULD MEMORIALIZE THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR TO ENACT LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ESTABLISH A NEW TYPE OF MISSING PERSONS PROGRAM IN CALIFORNIA CALLED SILVER ALERT IN UNISON WITH THE EXISTING STATE EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM TO PROTECT PERSONS AFFLICTED WITH ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE AND OTHER DEMENTIA-RELATED DISORDERS.
VOTE: MAJORITY.
SP 6: RELATING TO ALZHEIMER SILVER ALERT PROGRAM
WHEREAS, AT LEAST 5,200,000 AMERICANS SUFFER FROM DEMENTIA, AND RESEARCH SHOWS THAT 6 OUT OF 10 OF THOSE WHO SUFFER WANDER AWAY FROM HOME, AND ONLY 4 PERCENT ARE ABLE TO FIND THEIR WAY BACK HOME; AND
WHEREAS, ANNUALLY, OF THE HUNDREDS OF PERSONS WITH DEMENTIA WHO WANDER AWAY ON FOOT OR BY DRIVING, IF NOT FOUND WITHIN 24 HOURS, AT LEAST ˝ SUFFER SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH; AND
WHEREAS, THE SENIOR POPULATION IS STEADILY GROWING AND FEELS THE ADDED IMPACT AS THE BABY-BOOMER GENERATION MATURES, POTENTIALLY INCREASING THE TOLL OF INJURED OR KILLED DEMENTIA PATIENTS; AND
WHEREAS, A NEW TYPE OF MISSING PERSONS PROGRAM, CALLED SILVER ALERT, HAS BEEN ADOPTED BY ONLY SEVEN STATES AND HAS RESULTED IN THE SAFE RETURN OF A MAJORITY OF THOSE REPORTED; AND
WHEREAS, LEGISLATORS FROM FOUR ADDITIONAL STATES ARE DISCUSSING SIMILAR PROPOSALS FOR INTRODUCTION NEXT YEAR; AND
WHEREAS, ADMINISTRATORS OF FUNCTIONING ALERT PROGRAMS IN OTHER STATES ASSERT THAT THE PROGRAMS ARE INEXPENSIVE BECAUSE THEY PIGGYBACK ON EXISTING AMBER ALERT COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT
RESOLVED, BY THE SENIOR SENATE AND THE SENIOR ASSEMBLY, JOINTLY, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AT ITS 2008 REGULAR SESSION, A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS VOTING THEREFOR, HEREBY PROPOSES THAT CALIFORNIA ESTABLISH A NEW TYPE OF MISSING PERSONS PROGRAM CALLED SILVER ALERT IN UNISON WITH THE EXISTING STATE EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM TO PROTECT PERSONS AFFLICTED WITH ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE AND OTHER DEMENTIA-RELATED DISORDERS; AND BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA RESPECTFULLY MEMORIALIZES THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO ENACT APPROPRIATE LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ADDRESS THE CONCERNS SET FORTH IN THIS MEASURE; AND BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED, THAT A COPY OF THIS MEASURE BE TRANSMITTED TO THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE, THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
RN 08 21886
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