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SECOND REGULAR SESSION
SENATE BILL NO. 1409
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR BURGER.
5020S.01I KRISTINA MARTIN, Secretary
AN ACT
To amend chapter 650, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to the establishment of
an alert system for missing persons with developmental disabilities.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapter 650, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto 1
one new section, to be known as section 650.535, to read as 2
follows:3
650.535. 1. There is hereby created within the 1
department of public safety a statewide program called the 2
"Purple Alert System" to aid in the identification and 3
location of missing persons with developmental disabilities 4
whose disappearance poses a credible threat of immediate 5
danger or serious bodily harm to themselves through 6
immediate and effective community and emergency response. 7
2. For purposes of this section, "developmental 8
disability" includes a mental or cognitive disability that 9
is not Alzheimer's disease or a dementia-related disorder; 10
an intellectual disability; a brain injury; or other 11
physical, mental, or emotional disabilities that are not 12
related to substance abuse; or any combination of such 13
conditions. 14
3. Before July 1, 2027, the department of public 15
safety, in cooperation with the state highway patrol, 16
department of transportation, department of health and 17
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senior services, the state lottery, and local law 18
enforcement agencies shall: 19
(1) Develop a training program and alert system for 20
missing persons who have developmental disabilities that is 21
compatible with existing alert systems in the state. The 22
training program shall implement crisis intervention team 23
training to equip law enforcement officers with the skills 24
necessary to understand developmental disabilities, to de- 25
escalate interactions with persons in crisis, to facilitate 26
appropriate interventions, and to respond effectively to a 27
reported missing person emergency when the person has a 28
developmental disability; 29
(2) Establish policies and procedures for responding 30
to a reported missing person emergency when the person has a 31
developmental disability. The policies shall, at a minimum, 32
provide for the following: 33
(a) Immediate and widespread dissemination of critical 34
information when a person who has a developmental disability 35
is reported missing; 36
(b) Enhancement of emergency response teams' 37
competence by informing them of the unique behaviors and 38
needs of persons with developmental disabilities; and 39
(c) Measures to increase public awareness and 40
understanding of the risks associated with developmental 41
disability-related elopement to foster community support for 42
persons with developmental disabilities; and 43
(3) Require a law enforcement agency to do the 44
following, at a minimum, upon receiving a report: 45
(a) Contact media outlets in the affected area or 46
surrounding jurisdictions; 47
(b) Inform all on-duty law enforcement officers of the 48
reported missing person with a developmental disability; and 49
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(c) Communicate the report to all other law 50
enforcement agencies in the counties surrounding the county 51
in which the report is filed. 52
4. The department of public safety shall administer 53
and promulgate rules for the implementation of the alert 54
system established under this section. Any rule or portion 55
of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010, that 56
is created under the authority delegated in this section 57
shall become effective only if it complies with and is 58
subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if 59
applicable, section 536.028. This section and chapter 536 60
are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the 61
general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay 62
the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are 63
subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of 64
rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after 65
August 28, 2026, shall be invalid and void. 66
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