Enrolled HB 59: Relating to missing vulnerable adult prompt response and notification plans.
00Enrolled HB 59 01 Relating to missing vulnerable adult prompt response and notification plans. 02 _______________ 03 * Section 1. AS 44.35.020(a) is amended to read: 04 (a) The Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs shall 05 (1) conduct the military affairs of the state as prescribed by the 06 Military Code; 07 (2) cooperate with the federal government in matters of mutual 08 concern pertaining to the welfare of Alaskan veterans, including establishing, 09 extending, or strengthening services for veterans in the state; [AND] 10 (3) annually, not later than February 1, make available a report to the 11 legislature, through the governor, outlining the department's activities during the 12 previous calendar year; the department shall notify the legislature that the report is 13 available; and 14 (4) cooperate with the Department of Public Safety to develop and 15 implement missing vulnerable adult prompt response and notification plans
01 under AS 44.41.060. 02 * Sec. 2. AS 44.41 is amended by adding a new section to read: 03 Sec. 44.41.060. Missing vulnerable adult prompt response and notification 04 plans. (a) The Department of Public Safety, in cooperation with the Department of 05 Military and Veterans' Affairs, shall, using statewide and local radio and television 06 broadcasts, newspapers, and other communications media, 07 (1) develop and implement missing vulnerable adult prompt response 08 and notification plans for use by law enforcement agencies, groups, and persons to 09 locate a vulnerable adult who is missing; and 10 (2) coordinate the use of those plans. 11 (b) The plans required by (a) of this section must at least include standards for 12 (1) determining when and where to implement a plan; standards 13 developed under this paragraph must at least address 14 (A) when a vulnerable adult will be considered missing; and 15 (B) the format, contents, and distribution of reports prepared by 16 participating law enforcement agencies and others searching for a missing 17 vulnerable adult; and 18 (2) voluntary participation in the plan by radio and television 19 broadcasters, newspaper publishers, and owners and operators of other 20 communications media. 21 (c) Notwithstanding another provision of law, 22 (1) a law enforcement agency, an officer or employee of the law 23 enforcement agency, a person, or a group is not civilly liable for 24 (A) failing to participate in a missing vulnerable adult prompt 25 response and notification plan; 26 (B) failing to implement a missing vulnerable adult prompt 27 response and notification plan; or 28 (C) activating a missing vulnerable adult prompt response and 29 notification plan if implementation is undertaken in good faith; 30 (2) a radio or television broadcaster, a newspaper publisher, or an 31 owner or operator of other communications media is not civilly liable for participating
01 in a missing vulnerable adult prompt response and notification plan or for participating 02 in the actual implementation of a plan if the broadcaster, publisher, or owner or 03 operator has verified the authenticity of the plan's implementation with the law 04 enforcement agency. 05 (d) In this section, "vulnerable adult" means a person 18 years of age or older 06 who, because of physical or mental impairment, is unable to meet the person's own 07 needs or to seek help without assistance.