| Chapter 039 |
| 2025 -- S 0983 SUBSTITUTE A Enacted 06/13/2025 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- STATE POLICE |
Introduced By: Senators Patalano, Tikoian, LaMountain, Lawson, DiPalma, Ciccone, Thompson, Burke, Appollonio, and Britto |
| Date Introduced: April 16, 2025 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. Chapter 42-28 of the General Laws entitled "State Police" is hereby amended |
| by adding thereto the following sections: |
| 42-28-3.7. PURPLE alert. |
| (a) This section establishes the PURPLE alert program to immediately alert the community |
| about a missing adult with a serious or substantial physical, behavioral health, neurological |
| disability, or condition that objectively establishes concerns for the immediate safety and wellbeing |
| of the missing person. |
| (b) The division of state police, in consultation with the Rhode Island emergency |
| management agency (RIEMA) and other appropriate agencies shall develop and institute the |
| PURPLE alert program. The PURPLE alert program shall establish a voluntary partnership among |
| law enforcement agencies, media outlets, and other appropriate entities to send out emergency |
| alerts designed to expediently assist in locating a PURPLE alert citizen by utilizing available |
| resources including the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS). |
| (c) For purposes of §§ 42-28-3.7 and 42-28-3.8, a “PURPLE alert citizen” means a person: |
| (1) Whose whereabouts are unknown; |
| (2) Whose domicile at the time the person is reported missing is Rhode Island; |
| (3) Whose age at the time the person is reported missing is eighteen (18) years of age or |
| older; |
| (4) Who has a serious or substantial physical, behavioral health, neurological disability, or |
| condition that objectively establishes concerns for the immediate safety and wellbeing of the |
| missing person; and |
| (5) Whose disappearance poses a credible threat to the safety and health of such person, as |
| determined by the state police or other law enforcement agency. |
| (d) The serious physical, behavioral health, or neurological disability or condition shall be |
| demonstrated by appropriate documentation presented by the missing person’s family, legal |
| guardian, long-term care ombudsman, or long-term care facility where such person resides. |
| Provided, however, that any medical or personal information provided pursuant to this section shall |
| be kept strictly confidential and not subject to disclosure pursuant to chapter 2 of title 36 ("access |
| to public records"). |
| (e) If a law enforcement agency has confirmed the disappearance of a missing adult with |
| the above disability or conditions, the law enforcement agency shall immediately obtain descriptive |
| information for the PURPLE alert,; contact the state police to provide the descriptive information; |
| and identify a point of contact within its agency. |
| (f) The PURPLE alert program shall provide a proactive emergency public alert plan, |
| including, where appropriate, access and use of IPAWS as part of the response to the disappearance |
| of a missing adult with a serious physical, behavioral health, neurological disability or condition. |
| This program shall be capable of being expediently triggered by law enforcement personnel in |
| accordance with protocols, procedures, and rules established by the division of state police in |
| consultation with appropriate law enforcement authorities, the Rhode Island emergency |
| management agency, the department of health, state and local officials, and cooperating members |
| of the broadcast media (“PURPLE alert”). |
| 42-28-3.8. PURPLE alert procedures for protocol and implementation. |
| (a) The division of state police in consultation with the Rhode Island emergency |
| management agency (RIEMA) shall establish protocols, procedures, and rules to implement a |
| PURPLE alert. The protocols, procedures, and rules shall be updated as may be necessary in |
| consultation with the entities and agencies involved in the PURPLE alert process to provide |
| effective and efficient procedures to assist law enforcement agencies, broadcast media, and other |
| cooperating agencies or entities in providing an emergency alert to the public in response to a |
| missing adult with a serious physical, behavioral health, neurological disability or condition. |
| (b) The Rhode Island emergency management agency ("RIEMA") shall, no later than |
| January 1, 2026, and annually, thereafter, review the policies and procedures implemented and |
| conducted in accordance with the provisions of this section. The review shall involve all agencies |
| that participate in IPAWS. |
| (c) RIEMA shall conduct and keep records for annual training to be provided for all |
| participating agencies utilizing the IPAWS system. Training pursuant to this subsection shall be |
| mandatory for all personnel employed and involved in conducting IPAWS Purple Alert operations. |
| SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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| LC002713/SUB A |
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