HB 552 — An Act amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for the Pennsylvania Amber Alert System, the Missing Endangered Person Advisory System and the Green Alert System and for duties of the Pennsylvania State Police; assessing costs; providing for immunity and penalties; and making a repeal.

PRINTER'S NO.   553

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 552
                                                Session of
                                                  2025

     INTRODUCED BY MARKOSEK, HILL-EVANS, GIRAL, PIELLI, RABB,
        M. MACKENZIE, FREEMAN, NEILSON, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, SANCHEZ,
        KHAN, DALEY, HADDOCK, DONAHUE, HOHENSTEIN AND DEASY,
        FEBRUARY 11, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, FEBRUARY 11, 2025


                                     AN ACT
 1   Amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania
 2      Consolidated Statutes, providing for the Pennsylvania Amber
 3      Alert System, the Missing Endangered Person Advisory System
 4      and the Green Alert System and for duties of the Pennsylvania
 5      State Police; assessing costs; providing for immunity and
 6      penalties; and making a repeal.
 7      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 8   hereby enacts as follows:
 9      Section 1.    Title 35 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
10   Statutes is amended by adding a chapter to read:
11                                 CHAPTER 61
12                        RECOVERY ASSISTANCE SYSTEMS
13                      FOR ABDUCTED AND MISSING PERSONS
14   Sec.
15   6101.   Definitions.
16   6102.   Pennsylvania Amber Alert System.
17   6103.   Missing Endangered Person Advisory System.
18   6104.   Green Alert System.
19   6105.   Duties of Pennsylvania State Police.
 1   6106.     Prohibited use of alert systems.
 2   6107.   Use of Missing Endangered Person Advisory System and
 3                 Green Alert System.
 4   6108.     Coordination with other jurisdictions.
 5   6109.     Assessment of cost.
 6   6110.     Immunity.
 7   § 6101.     Definitions.
 8      The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
 9   shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
10   context clearly indicates otherwise:
11      "System."     The Pennsylvania Amber Alert System, the Missing
12   Endangered Person Advisory System and the Green Alert System.
13      "Veteran-at-risk."      A veteran, as defined in 51 Pa.C.S. §
14   7202 (relating to definitions), who is known to have a physical
15   or mental health condition that is related to the veteran's
16   service and is at special risk of harm or injury.
17   § 6102.     Pennsylvania Amber Alert System.
18      The Pennsylvania State Police shall establish and maintain
19   the Pennsylvania Amber Alert System to assist in the recovery of
20   abducted children through prompt notification to the general
21   public, appropriate law enforcement authorities and other public
22   agencies.
23   § 6103.     Missing Endangered Person Advisory System.
24      The Pennsylvania State Police shall establish and maintain
25   the Missing Endangered Person Advisory System to assist in the
26   recovery of missing persons who are at special risk of harm or
27   injury, through prompt notification to the general public,
28   appropriate law enforcement authorities and other agencies.
29   § 6104.     Green Alert System.
30      The Pennsylvania State Police shall establish and maintain

20250HB0552PN0553                      - 2 -
 1   the Green Alert System to assist in the recovery of missing
 2   veterans-at-risk through prompt notification to the general
 3   public, appropriate law enforcement authorities and other
 4   agencies.
 5   § 6105.   Duties of Pennsylvania State Police.
 6      The Pennsylvania State Police shall establish such protocols
 7   and procedures as are necessary for the effective operation of
 8   each system and shall educate and inform local law enforcement
 9   agencies and the public with regard to the availability of each
10   system.
11   § 6106.   Prohibited use of alert systems.
12      The transmission, broadcast or other communication of a
13   public alert, other than through the Pennsylvania Amber Alert
14   System, the Missing Endangered Person Advisory System or the
15   Green Alert System, intentionally, knowingly, recklessly or
16   negligently purporting to be made by, with or through the
17   authority of the Pennsylvania Amber Alert System, the Missing
18   Endangered Person Advisory System or the Green Alert System, is
19   prohibited and shall be subject to a civil penalty of not more
20   than $5,000.
21   § 6107.   Use of Missing Endangered Person Advisory System and
22               Green Alert System.
23      The Pennsylvania Missing Endangered Person Advisory System
24   and the Green Alert System shall be operated by the Pennsylvania
25   State Police. Activation may be requested by law enforcement
26   agencies when public assistance is considered expedient to the
27   recovery of a missing individual believed to be at special risk
28   of harm or injury. The ability of law enforcement agencies to
29   independently notify or request assistance from the public shall
30   not be impaired nor restricted in any way.

20250HB0552PN0553                  - 3 -
 1   § 6108.    Coordination with other jurisdictions.
 2      (a)    Pennsylvania Amber Alert System.--The Pennsylvania State
 3   Police shall coordinate with the authorities of the various
 4   states and the Federal Government that are responsible within
 5   their respective jurisdictions for the recovery of abducted
 6   children to establish and execute the procedures appropriate to
 7   the effective fulfillment of its responsibilities relating to
 8   the Pennsylvania Amber Alert System.
 9      (b)    Pennsylvania Missing Endangered Person Advisory System
10   and Green Alert System.--The Pennsylvania State Police shall
11   coordinate with the authorities of the various states and the
12   Federal Government that are responsible within their respective
13   jurisdictions for the recovery of missing individuals believed
14   to be at special risk of harm or injury to establish and execute
15   the procedures appropriate to the effective fulfillment of its
16   responsibilities relating to the Pennsylvania Missing Endangered
17   Person Advisory System and the Green Alert System.
18   § 6109.    Assessment of cost.
19      Unless the court finds that undue hardship would result, in
20   addition to any other cost imposed by law, a cost of $25 shall
21   automatically be assessed on each person convicted, adjudicated
22   delinquent or granted Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition of
23   the offenses named in this section. The cost shall be forwarded
24   to the Commonwealth and used by the Pennsylvania State Police to
25   establish and maintain the Pennsylvania Amber Alert System and
26   apply to the following offenses:
27             18 Pa.C.S. § 2901 (relating to kidnapping).
28             18 Pa.C.S. § 2902 (relating to unlawful restraint).
29             18 Pa.C.S. § 2903 (relating to false imprisonment).
30             18 Pa.C.S. § 2904 (relating to interference with custody

20250HB0552PN0553                     - 4 -
 1      of children).
 2             18 Pa.C.S. § 2905 (relating to interference with custody
 3      of committed persons).
 4             18 Pa.C.S. § 2906 (relating to criminal coercion).
 5             18 Pa.C.S. § 2907 (relating to disposition of ransom).
 6             18 Pa.C.S. § 2908 (relating to missing children).
 7             18 Pa.C.S. § 2909 (relating to concealment of whereabouts
 8      of a child).
 9             18 Pa.C.S. § 2910 (relating to luring a child into a
10      motor vehicle or structure).
11   § 6110.    Immunity.
12      (a)     Media immunity.--Owners, licensees, operators and
13   employees of any communication medium, including, but not
14   limited to, telephone, radio, television, newspaper, digital
15   communications networks or global communications networks, shall
16   be immune from civil liability for their good faith conduct
17   while participating in accordance with this chapter.
18      (b)     Good Samaritan immunity.--Any person who provides,
19   obtains or attempts to provide or obtain assistance for a child
20   who is the subject of a Pennsylvania Amber Alert System notice,
21   a person who is the subject of a Missing Endangered Person
22   Advisory or a veteran-at-risk who is the subject of a Green
23   Alert shall be immune from civil liability for acts or omissions
24   in providing or obtaining or attempting to provide or obtain
25   assistance except for acts or omissions intended to cause harm
26   and for which the law does not recognize justification or that
27   constitute gross negligence or willful, wanton or reckless
28   conduct.
29      Section 2.     Repeals are as follows:
30             (1)   The General Assembly declares that the repeal under

20250HB0552PN0553                     - 5 -
 1      paragraph (2) is necessary to effectuate the addition of 35
 2      Pa.C.S. Ch. 61.
 3          (2)     The act of November 24, 2004 (P.L.1270, No.153),
 4      referred to as the Pennsylvania Amber Alert System Law, is
 5      repealed.
 6      Section 3.    The addition of 35 Pa.C.S. Ch. 61 is a
 7   continuation of the act of November 24, 2004 (P.L.1270, No.153),
 8   referred to as the Pennsylvania Amber Alert System Law. The
 9   following apply:
10          (1)     Except as otherwise provided in 35 Pa.C.S. Ch. 61,
11      all activities initiated under the Pennsylvania Amber Alert
12      System Law shall continue and remain in full force and effect
13      and may be completed under 35 Pa.C.S. Ch. 61. Orders,
14      regulations, rules and decisions which were made under the
15      Pennsylvania Amber Alert System Law and which are in effect
16      on the effective date of this section shall remain in full
17      force and effect until revoked, vacated or modified under 35
18      Pa.C.S. Ch. 61. Contracts, obligations and collective
19      bargaining agreements entered into under the Pennsylvania
20      Amber Alert System Law are not affected nor impaired by the
21      repeal of the Pennsylvania Amber Alert System Law.
22          (2)     Except as specified in paragraph (3), any difference
23      in language between 35 Pa.C.S. Ch. 61 and the Pennsylvania
24      Amber Alert System Law is intended only to conform to the
25      style of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes and is not
26      intended to change or affect the legislative intent, judicial
27      construction or administration and implementation of the
28      Pennsylvania Amber Alert System Law.
29          (3)     Paragraph (2) does not apply to the addition of the
30      following provisions:

20250HB0552PN0553                    - 6 -
1              (i)    35 Pa.C.S. § 6101.
2              (ii)    35 Pa.C.S. § 6104.
3              (iii)    35 Pa.C.S. § 6106.
4              (iv)    35 Pa.C.S. § 6107.
5              (v)    35 Pa.C.S. § 6108.
6              (vi)    35 Pa.C.S. § 6110(b).
7     Section 4.     This act shall take effect immediately.




20250HB0552PN0553                  - 7 -