Alabama Legislature To Set Up Elderly Emergency Notification System

  MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - The Alabama Legislature is close to
setting up an emergency notification system for missing elderly
people that is similar to the state’s Amber Alert system for
missing children.
    The Senate voted 27-0 Thursday for a bill that provides for the
state Department of Public Safety to work with the Alabama
Broadcasters Association to put out an alert when a senior citizen
is missing and is at risk of serious injury or death.
    Republican Sen. Trip Pittman of Daphne says the alert will often
be limited to a local area, rather than a statewide alert, because
the missing elderly usually don’t go far.
    The bill, sponsored by Democratic Rep. Jeremy Oden of Vinemont,
passed the House last month in a slightly different version. It
must return to the House for a final vote.