Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Missing Persons Alerts topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senate adopts 'Turquoise Alert' name and approves missing-indigenous alert bill (HB 2281)
Summary
Senators adopted a floor amendment renaming the missing-indigenous alert system to the "Turquoise Alert," designated the measure as Emily's Law, and sent HB 2281 back with a due-pass recommendation. Senators emphasized long-running advocacy and recent federal action on an alert code.
The Arizona Senate on April 17 adopted a floor amendment to House Bill 2281 that renames the state's missing-indigenous / endangered-person alert system the "Turquoise Alert," designates the statute in memory of Emily Pike, and clarifies age and agency parameters for issuing alerts. The Schoap floor amendment was adopted on the floor; the bill as amended received a committee "do pass" recommendation.
Senator T.J. Schoap, sponsor of the floor amendment, described the change as renaming the missing-indigenous endangered-person alert system to the "turquoise alert system," restricting the alerts to persons aged 18 through 65 and clarifying definitions of law enforcement agencies. He closed by asking for support and acknowledging tribal and legislative colleagues who had assisted in drafting and outreach.
Several senators spoke in support and provided history of the state and federal work on missing and murdered Indigenous people (MMIP) issues. One senator who has worked on this policy for more than a decade described federal-level action and a bipartisan state-level effort to codify an alert code that the Federal Communications Commission approved in the prior fall. That senator said the alert name "Turquoise" has cultural significance for tribal nations and praised consensus among stakeholders to adopt the name in statute.
Sponsor and committee actions: Senator Kevin Payne moved the committee motion to give HB 2281 a due-pass recommendation; following the adopted floor amendment and extended remarks on the subject, the committee motion was adopted.
Why it matters: the statute establishes a specialized alert protocol to be used in cases involving missing indigenous or endangered persons, codifies system parameters (including age ranges and the agencies that can initiate alerts) and memorializes the measure as Emily's Law. Supporters emphasized long-standing advocacy by tribal leaders and the MMIP task force and noted recent FCC action establishing a missing/endangered person alert code.
