2013 California Code
Government Code - GOV
TITLE 2. GOVERNMENT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
DIVISION 1. GENERAL
CHAPTER 7. California Emergency Services Act
ARTICLE 6.5. Accessibility to Emergency Services Information
8594.10

(a) For purposes of this section, Silver Alert means a notification system, activated pursuant to subdivision (b), designed to issue and coordinate alerts with respect to a person who is 65 years of age or older who is reported missing.

(b) (1) If a person is reported missing to a law enforcement agency, and that agency determines that the requirements of subdivision (c) are met, the agency may request the California Highway Patrol to activate a Silver Alert. If the California Highway Patrol concurs that the requirements of subdivision (c) are met, it shall activate a Silver Alert within the geographical area requested by the investigating law enforcement agency.

(2) Radio, television, and cable and satellite systems are encouraged to, but not required to, cooperate with disseminating the information contained in a Silver Alert.

(3) Upon activation of a Silver Alert, the California Highway Patrol shall assist the investigating law enforcement agency by issuing a be-on-the-lookout alert, an Emergency Digital Information Service message, or an electronic flyer.

(c) A law enforcement agency may request a Silver Alert be activated if that agency determines that all of the following conditions are met in regard to the investigation of the missing person:

(1) The missing person is 65 years of age or older.

(2) The investigating law enforcement agency has utilized all available local resources.

(3) The law enforcement agency determines that the person has gone missing under unexplained or suspicious circumstances.

(4) The law enforcement agency believes that the person is in danger because of age, health, mental or physical disability, environment or weather conditions, that the person is in the company of a potentially dangerous person, or that there are other factors indicating that the person may be in peril.

(5) There is information available that, if disseminated to the public, could assist in the safe recovery of the missing person.

(d) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2016, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2016, deletes or extends that date.

(Added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 651, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2013. Repealed as of January 1, 2016, by its own provisions.)