Senate unanimously passes bill creating "Purple Alert" and expanding endangered‑person criteria
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Summary
Second substitute Senate Bill 6,070 would add a named color alert (Purple Alert) and expand definitions for vulnerable and endangered missing persons; sponsors said the change improves recovery tools and follows recommendations from task forces, and the Senate approved it unanimously.
The Washington State Senate on Feb. 20 passed second substitute Senate Bill 6,070, which creates a named alert for certain missing persons and updates statutory definitions used to identify vulnerable or endangered adults.
Senator Dhingra, sponsor and chair of the Law and Justice Committee, said the bill does three things: adopt an "ebony / Purple" alert to address disparities in recoveries among Black missing persons, expand the definition of who qualifies as a vulnerable or endangered individual (including adults exhibiting severe mental illness or suicidal behavior), and codify the alert name "Purple Alert." "The number of missing Black individuals in our state is disproportionate to their population," Dhingra said, and data shows targeted alerts improve recovery rates.
Senators who worked on the bill said the measure was the result of task‑force recommendations and unanimous committee support. Senator Saldanha and others supported the bill on the floor, describing collaborations with nonprofits and local stakeholders advocating for the change.
The Senate completed a roll call that was reported as 49 ayes and 0 nays; the engrossed bill was declared passed.
Why it matters: The measure adds a new alert tool intended to improve recoveries for specific populations and clarifies criteria law enforcement and families may use when requesting statewide alerts. Supporters said it fills statutory gaps that kept families without legal authority to classify some adult disappearances as endangered.
Next step: The bill passed the Senate unanimously and will proceed through the required legislative steps after final passage.
