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Bill > HF2370


IA HF2370

IA HF2370
A bill for an act relating to a green alert system for missing at-risk veterans, and making penalties applicable.


summary

Introduced
02/10/2026
In Committee
02/10/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead

Introduced Session

91st General Assembly

Bill Summary

This bill requires the department of public safety (department) to establish a nonpublic green alert system to facilitate professional coordination for the location and assistance of a missing at-risk veteran. A green alert shall be activated if a veteran is reported missing under circumstances suggesting that the veteran is at risk by a person who provides adequate personal contact information and the report of the at-risk veteran is verified by a peace officer or public safety official. The officer or official must document the basis for activating the green alert. A green alert must be reviewed every 72 hours and terminated upon verification that the veteran has been located or the risk has passed. The bill provides that knowingly submitting a false report to the green alert system is a violation of Code section 718.6 (false reports to or communications with public safety entities), a simple misdemeanor. A simple misdemeanor is punishable by confinement for no more than 30 days and a fine of at least $105 but not more than $855. The bill prohibits the department from disseminating a green alert to the general public or using a publicly accessible notification method. Information related to an active green alert may only be disseminated to the entities listed in the bill. The bill requires a response for a green alert to prioritize de-escalation, voluntary engagement, and trauma-informed practices, and prohibits the green alert from being used to initiate an arrest absent independent probable cause, conduct a warrantless detention, justify involuntary commitment, or circumvent constitutional protections or statutory due process requirements. The bill provides that the green alert system must operate independently from public emergency alert channels and must not delay or interfere with the prioritization of a public emergency alert related to child abduction or an imminent threat to the public. The bill requires the department to maintain annual statistics on the green alert system, while ensuring all personally identifiable information is protected. Personally identifiable information related to a green alert shall not be publicly released without the consent of the veteran or the veteran’s legal representative.

AI Summary

This bill establishes a confidential "green alert" system managed by the department of public safety to help locate missing veterans who may be at risk due to mental health crises, emotional distress, cognitive impairment, substance-related issues, or other well-being concerns. A green alert can be activated by a verified report from a peace officer or public safety official, requiring specific facts indicating a potential threat to the veteran's well-being and contact information from the reporting person. This system is distinct from public emergency alerts and will not be shared with the general public through any public notification methods; instead, information will only be shared with specific entities like law enforcement, hospitals, emergency medical services, mental health providers, and approved veteran organizations to facilitate professional coordination for the veteran's safe location and voluntary assistance. Responses to a green alert must prioritize de-escalation, voluntary engagement, and trauma-informed practices, and the alert cannot be used to initiate an arrest without independent probable cause, conduct a warrantless detention, justify involuntary commitment, or bypass constitutional protections. Knowingly submitting a false report to the green alert system is a simple misdemeanor, punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a fine. The department will maintain annual statistics on the system while protecting personally identifiable information, which will not be publicly released without the veteran's or their legal representative's consent.

Committee Categories

Justice

Sponsors (14)

Last Action

House Public Safety Committee (10:30:00 2/18/2026 RM 19) (on 02/18/2026)

bill text


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