Bill
HB 6188
Rhode Island creates a Purple Alert for missing adults with intellectual disabilities, coordinating police, media, and IPAWS to speed alerts and locate at-risk persons.
Note on source materials
- The materials provided include text from two different bills with the same bill number: (1) a Michigan "Development Rights Market Act" (land development rights pilot) and (2) a Rhode Island bill titled the "Linda DaLomba Purple Alert Act" (missing adults with intellectual disabilities). The title, status, and later legislative actions in your packet correspond to the Rhode Island Purple Alert Act. The summary below focuses on the Linda DaLomba Purple Alert Act (Rhode Island), which appears to be the primary subject.
Bill at a glance
- Bill title: The Linda DaLomba Purple Alert Act (adds a “Purple Alert” for missing adults with intellectual disabilities)
- Jurisdiction: Rhode Island
- Introduced: April 4, 2025
- Sponsors: Representatives Paplauskas, Baginski, Newberry, Quattrocchi, Read, Chippendale, Fascia, Noret, Solomon, and J. Brien
- Committee referral: House State Government & Elections
- Status (from materials): Committee recommended measure be held for further study (04/24/2025)
- Effective date: Upon passage
Purpose / intent
- Establish a standardized, statewide alert system (“Purple Alert”) to rapidly disseminate emergency information about missing adults who have an intellectual or similar disability and whose disappearance presents a credible threat of danger or serious bodily harm. The intent is to improve coordination among law enforcement, state agencies, media, and others to increase the chance of quickly finding such adults.
Key provisions
- Creation of “Purple Alert” (42-28-3.7)
- The Rhode Island State Police will institute a voluntary partnership among law enforcement agencies, media outlets, and other entities to issue Purple Alerts as part of the federal Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS).
- Definition of “missing adult with an intellectual disability”
- Person whose whereabouts are unknown;
- Has a mental/cognitive disability (explicitly excludes Alzheimer’s disease or dementia-related disorders) — includes intellectual or developmental disabilities (per §40.1-1-8.1 or BHDDH definitions), brain injury, or other non–substance-abuse-related disabilities;
- Disappearance indicates credible threat of danger or serious bodily harm (as determined by law enforcement);
- May not be returned to safety without law enforcement intervention;
- Does not meet criteria for existing “Missing Senior Citizen Alert” protocols.
- Documentation
- The disability must be demonstrated via documentation provided by family, legal guardian, caregiver, medical provider, or the long-term care facility where the adult resides.
- Activation & coordination
- Local law enforcement agencies that confirm a qualifying disappearance must gather descriptive information, contact the Rhode Island State Police, and identify a point of contact for the incident.
- The State Police must establish protocols, procedures, and rules for implementing Purple Alerts in consultation with relevant agencies (e.g., RIEMA, Department of Health, local law enforcement, broadcast media).
- Oversight, training, and review
- Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency (RIEMA) must review Purple Alert policies and procedures annually, beginning no later than January 1, 2026.
- RIEMA must provide and keep records of annual mandatory training for all personnel involved in IPAWS Purple Alert operations.
Who would be affected
- Missing adults with qualifying intellectual/developmental or similar disabilities (and their families/caregivers)
- State Police and local law enforcement agencies (responsible for determining eligibility and initiating alerts)
- RIEMA, Department of Health, BHDDH, and other state agencies involved in protocol development and reviews
- Media outlets and IPAWS partners that disseminate alerts
- Long-term care facilities, caregivers, and medical providers (may provide documentation and assist with information)
Potential impacts and considerations
- Public safety benefit: Faster, standardized alerts could reduce time to locate vulnerable missing adults and improve outcomes in the critical early hours after disappearance.
- Operational impacts: Requires development of protocols, interagency coordination, and recurring training; likely modest administrative costs for RIEMA, State Police, and participating agencies (no explicit funding mechanism in the bill text).
- Privacy and civil liberties: The requirement for documentation and defined activation criteria aim to limit misuse, but implementation will need attention to privacy, data sharing, and accuracy of alerts.
- Interaction with existing alerts: The bill excludes individuals who meet “Missing Senior Citizen Alert” criteria and uses IPAWS to integrate with current alert infrastructure.
Procedural/timeline notes
- The act takes effect upon passage.
- RIEMA must begin reviews and training by January 1, 2026, and perform those actions annually thereafter.
- As of the provided materials, the bill was introduced April 4, 2025, referred to committee, and reported held for further study (04/24/2025).
If you want, I can:
- Draft a one-page fact sheet for public distribution,
- Outline recommended implementation steps and estimated resource needs for RIEMA and State Police,
- Or summarize the unrelated “Development Rights Market Act” text included in your packet.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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