Director to be state-wide coordinator for alert system

(a) The director is the state-wide coordinator of the alert system. (b) The director shall adopt rules and issue directives as necessary to ensure proper implementation of the alert system. The rules and 168 35-3-174 directives shall include instructions on the procedures for activating and deactivating the alert system. (c) The director shall prescribe forms for use by local law enforcement agencies in requesting activation of the alert system. (d) No rule or directive adopted by the director shall mandate a minimum waiting period before the alert system may be activated or a request by local law enforcement agencies may be submitted to the bureau; provided, however, that it shall remain within the discretion of the director, as provided in this article, whether the alert system shall be activated at the request of a local law enforcement agency. (e) When making a determination whether to activate or whether to request the activation of a state-wide missing person alert system, both the director and the requesting local law enforcement agency shall take into consideration the known medical condition of the missing person if the medical condition may reasonably be considered a cause for the inability to locate such missing person. In so considering the medical condition of a missing person, particularly if such condition may be immediately life-threatening or incapacitating, the director or other authorized person and the requesting law enforcement official shall be authorized, within his or her discretion, to initiate and request, respectively, a state-wide endangered person advisory. History. — Code 1981, § 38-3-113, enacted by Ga. L. 2006, p. 539, § 1/HB 728; Ga. L. 2007, p. 47, § 38/SB 103; Code 1981, § 35-3-173, as redesignated by Ga. L. 2008, p. 233, § 1/SB 202; Ga. L. 2014, p. 704, § 3/SB 23. Editor’s notes. — Ga. L. 2014, p. 704, § 1/SB 23, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that: ‘‘This Act shall be known and may be cited as the ‘Stacey Nicole English Act.’ ’’ 35-3-174. Time for reporting elopement of disabled person from personal care home and assisted living community. The staff of personal care homes and assisted living communities shall call the local police department to report the elopement of any disabled person from the home within 30 minutes of the staff’s receiving actual knowledge that such person is missing from the home. History. — Code 1981, § 38-3-113.1, enacted by Ga. L. 2006, p. 539, § 1/HB 728; Code 1981, § 35-3-174, as redesignated by Ga. L. 2008, p. 233, § 1/SB 202; Ga. L. 2011, p. 227, § 24/SB 178; Ga. L. 2014, p. 704, § 3/SB 23. Editor’s notes. — Ga. L. 2014, p. 704, § 1/SB 23, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that: ‘‘This Act shall be known and may be cited as the ‘Stacey Nicole English Act.’ ’’ 169 35-3-176 35-3-175. Recruitment of media, private and governmental entities, and others for assistance in developing and implementing alert system; contractual agreements for system support. (a) The bureau shall recruit public and commercial television, radio, cable, print, and other media, private commercial entities, state or local governmental entities, the public, and other appropriate persons to assist in developing and implementing the alert system. (b) The bureau may enter into agreements with participants in the alert system to provide necessary support for the alert system. History. — Code 1981, § 38-3-114, enacted by Ga. L. 2006, p. 539, § 1/HB 728; Code 1981, § 35-3-175, as redesignated by Ga. L. 2008, p. 233, § 1/SB 202; Ga. L. 2014, p. 704, § 3/SB 23. Editor’s notes. — Ga. L. 2014, p. 704, § 1/SB 23, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that: ‘‘This Act shall be known and may be cited as the ‘Stacey Nicole English Act.’ ’’ 35-3-176. Criteria for activating alert system.