Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H2657 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2309 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2657
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Jack Patrick Lewis
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act establishing a Purple Alert system in the commonwealth.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Jack Patrick Lewis7th Middlesex1/16/2025Patrick M. O'ConnorFirst Plymouth and Norfolk3/12/2025 1 of 4
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2309 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2657
18	18	By Representative Lewis of Framingham, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2657) of
19	19	Jack Patrick Lewis and Patrick M. O'Connor that the Executive Office of Public Safety and
20	20	Security establish a purple alert program to assist in identifying and locating missing persons
21	21	with a disabilities. Public Safety and Homeland Security.
22	22	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
23	23	_______________
24	24	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
25	25	(2025-2026)
26	26	_______________
27	27	An Act establishing a Purple Alert system in the commonwealth.
28	28	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
29	29	of the same, as follows:
30	30	1 SECTION 1. The General Laws are hereby amended by inserting after chapter 22E the
31	31	2following chapter:-
32	32	3 CHAPTER 22F. PURPLE ALERT PROGRAM TO ASSIST IN IDENTIFYING AND
33	33	4LOCATING MISSING PERSONS WITH A DISABILITY
34	34	5 Section 1. As used in this chapter, the following words shall, unless the context clearly
35	35	6requires otherwise, have the following meanings:
36	36	7 “Executive Office”, the executive office of public safety and security.
37	37	8 “Local law enforcement agency”, a local police or sheriff's office that has jurisdiction
38	38	9over the area where a person became missing. 2 of 4
39	39	10 “Missing person with a disability”, an individual whose whereabouts are unknown and
40	40	11who has: (i) a mental or cognitive disability that is not Alzheimer's disease or a dementia-related
41	41	12disorder; (ii) an intellectual disability or a developmental disability including Down syndrome;
42	42	13(iii) a brain injury; (iv) another physical, mental, or emotional disability that is not related to
43	43	14substance abuse; or (v) a combination of any of these.
44	44	15 Section 2. (a) The executive office shall establish a Purple Alert Program to assist in
45	45	16identifying and locating missing persons with disabilities.
46	46	17 (b) The program shall include a system for rapidly disseminating information to the
47	47	18public, including descriptions, photographs and information about the missing person's disability
48	48	19and susceptibility to wandering behaviors.
49	49	20
50	50	21 (c) The Purple Alert system shall include procedures to monitor the use, activation and
51	51	22results of alerts and a strategy for informing and educating law enforcement, the media and other
52	52	23stakeholders concerning the alert.
53	53	24 Section 3. (a) After receiving missing person’s report pursuant to section 4, a local law
54	54	25enforcement agency may activate a Purple Alert after determining that:
55	55	26 (i) a person is a missing person with a disability as defined in section 1;
56	56	27 (ii) there a credible threat that the missing person may be subject to immediate danger or
57	57	28serious bodily harm because of the person’s disappearance;
58	58	29 (iii) the missing person most likely cannot be returned to safety without law enforcement
59	59	30intervention; and 3 of 4
60	60	31 (iv) there is sufficient information available to disseminate to the public that could assist
61	61	32in locating the missing person.
62	62	33 (b) A local law enforcement agency may activate a Purple Alert notwithstanding the
63	63	34existence of an active Silver Alert or Amber Alert for the same missing person if the local law
64	64	35enforcement agency determines that a Purple Alert may improve the chances of finding the
65	65	36person.
66	66	37 Section 4. (a) To initiate a Purple Alert, the family, legal caregiver or custodian of the
67	67	38missing person shall file a missing person's report with the local law enforcement agency where
68	68	39the person became missing.
69	69	40 (b) Upon receiving a missing person’s report, the local law enforcement agency shall:
70	70	41 (i) determine if the case meets the qualifying criteria for a Purple Alert set forth in
71	71	42subsection (a) of section 3;
72	72	43 (ii) notify the executive office and electronically send the completed Purple Alert forms
73	73	44and available photographs or images of the missing person;
74	74	45 (iii) enter the information into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC);
75	75	46 (iv) initiate an alert to all local law enforcement, E911 and first responders to search the
76	76	47immediate area;
77	77	48 (v)activate secondary alert systems to residents, businesses and broadcast media in the
78	78	49immediate area; 4 of 4
79	79	50 (vi) provide a 24-hour phone number to receive calls while continuing the investigation;
80	80	51and
81	81	52 (vii) update the family, legal caregiver or custodian of the missing person as new
82	82	53information becomes available.
83	83	54 Section 5. (a) The Purple Alert Program shall provide, to the greatest extent possible, for
84	84	55the protection of the privacy, dignity and independence of the missing person by including
85	85	56standards aimed at preventing the inadvertent or unnecessary broadcasting or dissemination of
86	86	57sensitive health and diagnostic information.
87	87	58 (b) The broadcasting and dissemination of alerts and related information shall be limited
88	88	59to the geographic areas where the missing person could reasonably be, considering the person's
89	89	60circumstances and physical and mental condition, the potential modes of transportation available
90	90	61to the person or suspected to be involved, and the known or suspected circumstances of the
91	91	62person’s disappearance.
92	92	63 Section 6. (a) A Purple Alert shall be terminated when the missing person is located or
93	93	64when circumstances no longer warrant its continued activation.
94	94	65 (b) The local law enforcement agency that requested the activation of the Purple Alert
95	95	66shall notify the executive office immediately upon locating the missing person or determining
96	96	67that the alert should be terminated.
97	97	68 SECTION 2. This act shall take effect 90 days after passage.