SB 179-MISSING VULNERABLE ADULT RESPONSE PLAN  8:47:05 AM VICE CHAIR KELLER announced that the next order of business was SENATE BILL NO. 179, "An Act relating to missing vulnerable adult prompt response and notification plans." 8:47:18 AM REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON moved to adopt the proposed committee substitute (CS) for SB 179, Version 27-LS1250\M, Gardner, 4/11/12, as a work draft. There being no objection, Version M was before the committee. 8:47:33 AM SENATOR BETTYE DAVIS, Alaska State Legislature, as sponsor, introduced SB 179. She said Version M made one change. She deferred to her staff for further explanation. 8:47:54 AM CELESTE HODGE, Staff, Senator Bettye Davis, Alaska State Legislature, presented SB 179 on behalf of Senator Davis, sponsor. She said the change occurs in Section 2, on page 2, line 21, where "or an officer or employee of the law enforcement agency" was added following "a law enforcement agency". She said that change was recommended by the Department of Law to further protect both the law enforcement agency and individual officers, thereby encouraging more participation in the program by the agency. 8:48:52 AM MS. HODGE explained that SB 179 would create a new statewide alert system to help find vulnerable missing adults. She said the system, which is similar to the nationwide Amber Alert program, would help local law enforcement notify the public when a mentally or physically impaired Alaskan goes missing. She said Alaska has the fastest growing senior population and cannot afford to ignore this problem any longer. She reported that according to the Alaska Commission on Aging, there were approximately 7,785 Alaskans suffering from Alzheimer's Disease and related dementia in 2010, and that number is expected to grow to more than 17,000 by 2030. She said in Fairbanks, a woman 63 years of age suffering from Alzheimer's Disease froze to death after becoming disoriented while driving, running out of gas, and trying to walk several miles to seek help. Ms. Hodge said that incident illustrates the need for a system to assist in the search for missing vulnerable adults. She said when a vulnerable adult goes missing, his/her best chance of survival is to be found within 24-48 hours. MS. HODGE said the proposed legislation calls for the Department of Military & Veterans Affairs to coordinate with the Department of Public Safety to create and implement prompt response and notification plans that would use a voluntary network of statewide and local newspapers, as well as radio and television stations to rapidly alert the public that a vulnerable adult is missing. Further, under SB 179, both departments would establish standards on what triggers an alert and when a vulnerable adult would be considered missing. She said the proposed legislation would ensure that the search for Alaska's most vulnerable citizens happens promptly. Ms. Hodge noted that currently there are 28 states that have implemented or will implement the silver alert program - 10 more states than took part since the National Association of States United for Aging and Disability's last report. She related that the administration supports the bill. She stated that the fiscal note indicates that compliance with SB 179 would have no fiscal impact. 8:51:51 AM REPRESENTATIVE PETERSEN related a time when his uncle, who since died from Alzheimer's disease, got lost because he did not remember how to get home in a town of 700 people. He said he can see how much worse it would be for someone in that situation who lived in a larger community. He said he thinks SB 179 is a good bill. 8:53:13 AM MICHAEL O'HARE, Deputy Director, Division of Homeland Security/Emergency Management, Department of Military & Veterans Affairs, stated support for the intent of SB 179. In response to a question by Representative P. Wilson, he explained that the department's new emergency management network has the flexibility that will allow for a systematic approach to sending out alerts. He said the department currently works with the Department of Public Safety to send out alerts on missing persons, so there would be no issues in working together. He confirmed that there would be no fiscal impact under SB 179. He encouraged the committee to pass the proposed legislation. In response to a follow-up question, he explained that the department's responsibility would be to make certain the alert gets out through the emergency network through relay messages to broadcast media. He indicated that the department would collaborate on a plan to look for vulnerable adults, as required under SB 179. 8:56:21 AM MR. O'HARE, in response to a question from Representative Gruenberg, said the Amber Alert system is used in Alaska. 8:57:44 AM PATRICK CUNNINGHAM, Associate Professor of Social Work, College of Health, University of Alaska Anchorage; Member, Alzheimer's Resource of Alaska Board, testified in support of SB 179. He said a manifestation of Alzheimer's disease is a tendency for the person to wander and leave his/her residence, putting him/her at risk. If that occurs, the alert system under SB 179 would increase the opportunity of finding the person before any harm occurs. He said other vulnerable adults are those experiencing mental illness, traumatic brain injury, or other forms of disability. He urged the committee to support SB 179. 8:58:57 AM RODNEY DIAL, Lieutenant, Alaska State Troopers, stated that the department has no concerns regarding SB 179. He said he agrees with most of what Mr. O'Hare said, and he offered to answer questions. 8:59:41 AM MARIE DARLIN, AARP, testified in support of SB 179. She said she thinks the bill would prevent "some of the problems we've had in the last couple of years." 9:00:18 AM VICE CHAIR KELLER closed public testimony. 9:00:29 AM REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG said AS 47.24.900 is cited in the last line of SB 179 as containing the definition of "vulnerable adult". Representative Gruenberg read the definition as follows: "vulnerable adult" means a person 18 years of age or older who, because of physical or mental impairment, is unable to meet the person's own needs or to seek help without assistance. 9:01:21 AM REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON moved to report HCS SB 179, Version 27- LS1250\M, Gardner, 4/11/12, with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, HCS CSSB 179(STA) was reported out of the House State Affairs Standing Committee.