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REFERENCE TITLE: law enforcement; training; alert systems |
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State of Arizona Senate Fifty-seventh Legislature Second Regular Session 2026
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SB 1781 |
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Introduced by Senators Gonzales: Hatathlie, Miranda
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AN ACT
Amending section 41-1728.01, Arizona Revised Statutes; Amending title 41, chapter 12, article 2, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 41-1738; relating to public safety.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Section 41-1728.01, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
41-1728.01. Turquoise alert system; requirements; definitions
A. The department shall establish the turquoise alert system as a quick response system designed to issue and coordinate alerts following the report of a missing person.
B. On the request of an authorized person at a law enforcement agency that is investigating a report of a missing person, the department shall request an activation of the emergency alert system and issue a turquoise alert if all of the following conditions are met:
1. The missing person is under sixty-five years of age.
2. The law enforcement agency investigating the missing person report:
(a) Has used all available local resources.
(b) Has determined that the person has gone missing under unexplained or suspicious circumstances.
(c) Believes that the missing person is in danger or that the missing person is in the company of a potentially dangerous person or that there are other factors indicating that the missing person may be in peril.
3. There is information available that, if disseminated to the public, could assist in the safe recovery of the missing person.
4. The department has been designated to use the federally authorized emergency alert system for the issuance of turquoise alerts.
C. If the department issues a turquoise alert pursuant to this section, the department shall provide the turquoise alert information to any other entity that provides similar notifications in this state.
D. The department shall request an activation of the emergency alert system and shall issue a turquoise alert immediately pursuant to subsection B of this section. A turquoise alert may not be denied or delayed due to administrative processes, prior missing episodes or discretionary assessments that are unrelated to the immediate risk to the missing person's safety.
E. Each law enforcement agency shall do all of the following:
1. Develop, implement and regularly update training criteria regarding the Turquoise alert system. The training shall be comprehensive and shall create a solid foundation of knowledge regarding the legal criteria and processes involved in issuing a timely turquoise alert.
2. Conduct turquoise alert training for all employees of a law enforcement agency, at the time of hire and biannually, who have direct involvement in missing person cases, including the supervisors of these employees and communication dispatchers. The training must include a review of any department and state policies regarding locating a missing, abducted or runaway child, with a specific focus on TURQUOISE alert procedures. The training shall be comprehensive and shall create a solid foundation of knowledge regarding the legal criteria and processes involved in issuing a timely turquoise alert.
D. F. For the purposes of this section:
1. "Law enforcement agency" means the Arizona department of public safety, a municipal police department, a county sheriff's office, a tribal law enforcement agency and or a federal law enforcement agency that operates within this state.
2. "Person" includes a member of a federally recognized Indian Tribe.
Sec. 2. Title 41, chapter 12, article 2, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 41-1738, to read:
41-1738. Training and alert systems; synchronization
Notwithstanding any other law, each federal, state, tribal, county and municipal law enforcement agency shall work COLLABORATIVELY to synchronize all training and alert systems, including amber alerts, TURQUOISE alerts and seek and find alerts, in this state.