Nevada Legislature approves child abduction alert system

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) -- A measure creating a statewide "Amber Alert" child abduction notification system won final approval Tuesday in the Nevada Legislature.

With no discussion, the state Senate unanimously passed AB322, which forms a committee of police and broadcasters to establish and oversee the alert system.

Radio and TV alerts would notify the public about child abductions and any pertinent information, such as vehicle descriptions, that would help locate the abductors.

AB322 was approved earlier this month by the Assembly and now heads to the governor for his signature.

Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, who sponsored the bill, said the alert system would provide "a great opportunity" to safely recover children shortly after they're abducted.

The measure allows the committee to name the statewide system in recognition of one or more people. Lawmakers say it's likely to become the well-known "Amber Alert" used in California and other states.

The alerts are named after Amber Hagerman, a 9-year-old girl abducted in Arlington, Texas, and later found murdered.

For a child abduction alert to be issued, the investigating police agency must confirm a child was actually abducted and is in significant danger and provide sufficient descriptive information about the child or the suspect.

Once the information is provided, a local broadcaster could activate the emergency broadcast system.

Participation in the system is voluntary, and the bill provides immunity against civil liability for broadcasters.

A previously approved amendment to the bill removed a provision requiring parental approval before the system is activated. Perkins said occasionally parents are suspects, or simply can't be located.