SB 289 — Creating Green Alert Plan

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B.NEWS RELEASES HELPFUL LINKS Enrolled Version - Final Version « Senate Bill 289 History OTHER VERSIONS  —  Introduced Version  |   |  Email Key:

289Green --= “Aexisting BILLCode. to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new article, designated §15-3E-1, §15-3E-2, §15-3E-3, §15-3E-4, §15-3E-5, §15-3E-6 and §15-3E-7 of said code, all relating to the establishment of an alert system for missing at-risk veterans by Superintendent of West Virginia State Police;

providingRed legislative= findingsnew andcode declarationsto relativebe toenacted theWEST Greenvirginia Alertlegislature plan;regular session Enrolled Senate Bill 289 By Senators Weld, Baldwin, and Hamilton [Passed March 6, 2020;

establishmentin effect 90 days from passage]   AN ACT to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a Greennew Alertarticle, Plan;designated §15-3E-1, §15-3E-2, §15-3E-3, §15-3E-4, §15-3E-5, §15-3E-6, and §15-3E-7, all relating to the establishment of an alert system for missing at-risk veterans by Superintendent of West Virginia State Police;

definingproviding term;legislative findings and declarations relative to the Green Alert Plan;

establishment of the Green Alert Plan;

defining a term;

notification to the Department of Transportation, the Division of HighwaysHighways, and the West Virginia Turnpike Commission of the Green Alert;

and authorizing Superintendentsuperintendent to promulgate guidelines and procedural rules.”.rules.

 Be ADOPTEDit  enacted REJECTEDby  the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 3E.

CREATION OF A STATEWIDE GREEN ALERT PLAN.

§15-3E-1.

Short title.

This article shall be known and may be cited as the Green Alert Plan.

§15-3E-2.

Findings and declarations relative to Green Alert Plan.

(a) The Legislature finds that:

(1) According to the U.S.

Department of Veterans Affairs, 20 veterans commit suicide each day across the country;

(2) While veterans make up less than nine percent of the total U.S.

population, tragically, they account for 19 percent of all suicides in America;

(3) By establishing the Green Alert Plan, law enforcement will be provided with additional tools that will help them in responding to an at-risk veteran’s disappearance and place an emphasis on the risk of suicide for veterans with a service-related condition;

(4) The Green Alert Plan would also allow for a more rapid dissemination of information on the missing at-risk veteran to the public, who, having been alerted to the situation, now become an extensive network of eyes and ears serving to assist law enforcement in quickly locating and safely recovering a missing at-risk veteran, and potentially saving them serious injury or suicide;

and (5) Given the success of both the Amber and Silver Alert systems, expanding the program to include at-risk veterans is imperative to help those who have served.

(b) The Legislature declares that creating a Green Alert is a way to prevent more tragedies and help ensure our veterans get back home safely.

§15-3E-3.

Establishment of Green Alert Plan.

(a) The Superintendent of the West Virginia State Police shall establish the Green Alert Plan authorizing the broadcast media, upon notice from the West Virginia State Police, to broadcast an alert to inform the public of a missing at-risk veteran, subject to the criteria established in §15-3E-4 of this code.

The program shall be a voluntary, cooperative effort between state law enforcement and the broadcast media.

(b) As used in this article, “at-risk veteran” means a person who is currently serving in the armed forces on active duty, reserve status, or in the National Guard, or a person who served in the active military, or who was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable who is known, based on the information provided by the person making the report, to have a physical or mental health condition that is related to his or her service.

(c) The superintendent shall notify the broadcast media serving the State of West Virginia of the establishment the Green Alert Plan and invite their voluntary participation.

(d) The superintendent shall submit a plan to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance no later than December 1, 2020.

The plan shall include Green Alert activation protocols, evaluation of first responder training requirements and needs as related to at-risk veterans, coordination and use of established programs, and analysis of any costs.

The superintendent shall also make recommendations for any additional legislation or actions necessary to further facilitate the implementation of the Green Alert Plan.

§15-3E-4.

Activation of Green Alert.

The following criteria shall be met before the West Virginia State Police activate the Green Alert: