An Act Regarding The Time Frame For Issuing A Silver Alert And To Require Silver Alerts For All Persons Missing From Certain Inpatient Facilities

This bill (LD 496) requires Maine law enforcement to immediately issue a Silver Alert for any person reported missing from a mental health facility, such as a psychiatric ward, group home, or inpatient mental health center. It mandates that alerts be sent to all police departments statewide and to hospitals, homeless shelters, soup kitchens, and public libraries within 24 hours of the report. If the person remains missing, the alert must be reissued every two weeks until located. The bill directly affects missing persons from these facilities, law enforcement agencies, and community service locations that receive the alerts.