New Jersey A 4344: Establishes "Purple Alert System" to assist in finding missing persons.

Bill Text

A4344 

ASSEMBLY, No. 4344 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

� 

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 19, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman� SHANIQUE SPEIGHT

District 29 (Essex and Hudson)

Assemblywoman� SHAMA A. HAIDER

District 37 (Bergen)

SYNOPSIS

���� Establishes �Purple Alert System� to assist in 
finding missing persons.� 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT 

���� As introduced.

�� 

An Act establishing a �Purple Alert System� and supplementing 
Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.

���� Be It 
Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of 
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.� a.� The Attorney General 
shall establish a �Purple Alert System� which shall provide a Statewide system 
for the rapid dissemination of information regarding a missing person.� The 
program shall be a voluntary, cooperative effort between State and local law 
enforcement agencies and the media, including but not limited to print, radio, 
and television media outlets. 

���� b.� The Attorney General shall 
notify the media serving the State of New Jersey of the establishment of the 
Purple Alert System and invite their voluntary participation.

���� c.� The Missing Persons 
Investigative Best Practices Protocol Unidentified Deceased Persons 
Investigative Guidelines promulgated by the Missing Persons Unit in the 
Division of State Police shall be revised to incorporate procedures for issuing 
an alert regarding missing persons.� The guidelines and procedures shall ensure 
that specific health information about the missing person is not made public 
through the alert or otherwise. 

���� 2.� A Purple Alert authorized 
under this section may be activated in accordance with the following 
requirements, which shall be incorporated into the guidelines required by 
subsection c. of section 1 of P.L.��� , c.��� (C.������� ) (pending before the 
Legislature as this bill).

���� a.� The law enforcement agency 
receiving the missing persons report shall be the lead law enforcement agency.

���� b.� The Missing Persons Unit 
in the Division of State Police, upon request, shall assist the lead law 
enforcement agency in the investigation of a Purple Alert.

���� c.� Each of the following 
criteria shall be met before a Purple Alert may be issued:

���� (1) a missing person�s report 
has been submitted to the local law enforcement agency where the person went 
missing;

���� (2) the person believed to be 
missing may be in danger of death or serious bodily injury;

���� (3) there is sufficient 
information available to indicate that a Purple Alert would assist in locating 
the missing person; and

���� (4) sufficient information is 
available to disseminate to the public that could assist in locating the 
person.

���� 3.� a.� The Missing Persons 
Unit in the Division of State Police, in consultation with the Department of 
Transportation, shall develop a procedure for the use of overhead permanent 
changeable message signs to provide information on a missing person meeting the 
criteria set forth in section 2 of P.L.��� , c.��� (C.������� ) (pending before 
the Legislature as this bill) when information is available that would enable 
motorists to assist in the recovery of the missing person.

���� b.��� The Missing Persons Unit 
and the Department of Transportation shall develop guidelines for the content, 
length, and frequency of any message to be placed on the overhead permanent 
changeable message sign.

���� c.� The procedure and 
guidelines required in subsections a. and b. of this section shall provide at a 
minimum that: 

���� (1) overhead permanent 
changeable message signs may be activated only if accurate motor vehicle 
information is available and it is confirmed that the person was in the motor 
vehicle at the time of the disappearance;

���� (2) the lead law enforcement 
agency, upon determining that a Purple Alert is warranted, shall contact the 
Watch and Warning Bureau in the New Jersey State Police Regional Operations 
Intelligence Center, which shall contact the Department of Transportation for 
the activation of highway signs.

���� d.� The participating media 
may voluntarily agree, upon notice of the issuance of a Purple Alert, to inform 
the public of a person believed to be missing within their service regions.� 
The notice shall be provided through the lead law enforcement agency.

���� e.� The alerts shall terminate 
upon notice from the lead law enforcement agency. 

���� f.� The alerts shall include a 
description of the missing person and other information as the lead law 
enforcement agency may deem pertinent and appropriate.� The lead law 
enforcement agency shall, in a timely manner, update the media with new 
information regarding the missing person when appropriate.

���� g.� The alerts also shall 
provide information concerning how those members of the public who have 
information relating to the missing person may contact the lead law enforcement 
agency or the Missing Persons Unit in the Division of State Police.

����