SB 358 — An Act amending the act of November 24, 2004 (P.L.1270, No.153), referred to as the Pennsylvania Amber Alert System Law, establishing the Pennsylvania Green Alert System; and further providing for immunity.

PRINTER'S NO.    294

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                        SENATE BILL
                        No. 358
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY FONTANA, PENNYCUICK, HAYWOOD, COMITTA, COSTA,
        J. WARD, KANE, LAUGHLIN, BROWN, TARTAGLIONE, MILLER, SCHWANK,
        MASTRIANO AND FARRY, FEBRUARY 26, 2025

     REFERRED TO LAW AND JUSTICE, FEBRUARY 26, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of November 24, 2004 (P.L.1270, No.153),
 2      entitled "An act providing for the Pennsylvania Amber Alert
 3      System; authorizing and directing the Pennsylvania State
 4      Police to establish and maintain the Pennsylvania Amber Alert
 5      System; assessing costs; and providing for immunity and
 6      penalties," establishing the Pennsylvania Green Alert System;
 7      and further providing for immunity.
 8      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 9   hereby enacts as follows:
10      Section 1.    The title and sections 1 and 5(b) of the act of
11   November 24, 2004 (P.L.1270, No.153), referred to as the
12   Pennsylvania Amber Alert System Law, are amended to read:
13                                  AN ACT
14   Providing for the Pennsylvania Amber Alert System and the
15      Pennsylvania Green Alert System; authorizing and directing
16      the Pennsylvania State Police to establish and maintain the
17      [Pennsylvania Amber Alert System] alert systems; assessing
18      costs; and providing for immunity and penalties.
19   Section 1.   Pennsylvania Amber Alert System [and], Missing
20                    Endangered Person Advisory System (MEPAS) and
 1                        Pennsylvania Green Alert System established.
 2      (a)   Pennsylvania Amber Alert System.--The Pennsylvania State
 3   Police shall establish and maintain the Pennsylvania Amber Alert
 4   System to assist in the recovery of abducted children through
 5   prompt notification to the general public, appropriate law
 6   enforcement authorities and other public agencies.
 7      (b)   Missing Endangered Person Advisory System (MEPAS).--The
 8   Pennsylvania State Police shall establish and maintain the
 9   Missing Endangered Person Advisory System to assist in the
10   recovery of missing persons who are at special risk of harm or
11   injury, through prompt notification to the general public,
12   appropriate law enforcement authorities and other agencies.
13      (c)   Pennsylvania Green Alert System.--
14            (1)   The Pennsylvania State Police, in consultation with
15      the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, shall
16      establish and maintain the Pennsylvania Green Alert System to
17      notify the public of a missing person who is a veteran at
18      risk.
19            (2)   The Pennsylvania Green Alert System shall be
20      operated by the Pennsylvania State Police. Activation may be
21      requested by a law enforcement agency if the law enforcement
22      agency determines that there is reason to believe:
23                  (i)    the missing individual is a veteran at risk;
24                  (ii)    the individual is missing due to the
25            individual's physical or mental health condition;
26                  (iii)    the missing individual poses a threat to the
27            missing individual's health and safety or the health and
28            safety of another; and
29                  (iv)    there is sufficient information available to
30            disseminate that could assist in locating the missing

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 1            individual.
 2            (3)   The notification under this subsection shall include
 3      a description of the person and other information as deemed
 4      appropriate.
 5            (4)   For purposes of this subsection, the term "veteran
 6      at risk" means a veteran or an active-duty member of the
 7      armed forces, the National Guard or the military reserve
 8      forces of the United States who is known, based on the
 9      information provided by the person reporting the missing
10      person, to be suffering from, or to have a history of,
11      physical or mental health issues, including traumatic brain
12      injury, neurocognitive disorders, post-traumatic stress
13      disorder, suicide attempts or impulses or substance use
14      disorder related to his or her military service.
15   Section 5.     Immunity.
16      * * *
17      (b)   Good Samaritan immunity.--Any person who provides,
18   obtains or attempts to provide or obtain assistance for a child
19   who is the subject of a Pennsylvania Amber Alert System notice
20   [or], a person who is the subject of a Missing Endangered Person
21   Advisory or a person who is the subject of a Pennsylvania Green
22   Alert System notice shall be immune from civil liability for
23   acts or omissions in providing or obtaining or attempting to
24   provide or obtain assistance except for acts or omissions
25   intended to cause harm and for which the law does not recognize
26   justification or that constitute gross negligence or willful,
27   wanton or reckless conduct.
28      Section 2.     This act shall take effect immediately.




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