HB19 Alabama 2025 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Juandalynn GivanRepresentative

Democrat

Session

2025 Regular Session

Title

Creating an Ebony Alert System to send an alert to assist in the recovery of a Black youth, including a young woman or girl, under certain circumstances.

Summary

HB19 would create an Ebony Alert System in Alabama to help recover missing Black youths, including young women or girls, under certain circumstances.

What This Bill Does

It establishes Ebony Alert as a public safety notification system to assist in locating Black youths reported missing under unexplained or suspicious circumstances. A local law enforcement agency may request activation, and the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency must concur before the alert is activated in the relevant area; dissemination would involve media and automated signs. Activation depends on specific factors, including the person’s age (12-25), potential disability, dangerous circumstances, possible trafficking, and other information indicating the person may be at risk, with resources already used and information available to aid recovery. The act would take effect on October 1, 2025.

Who It Affects

• Black youths ages 12-25 who are missing or at risk (including young women and girls) would be eligible for Ebony Alerts to help in their recovery, when criteria are met.
• Alabama law enforcement agencies, the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency, and media/public communication partners would participate in requesting, approving, and disseminating Ebony Alerts.

Key Provisions

• Creates Ebony Alert as a notification system to locate Black youth reported missing under unexplained or suspicious circumstances.
• Allows a local law enforcement agency to request activation; requires concurrence by the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency before activating the Ebony Alert in a designated geographic area.
• Encourages cooperation from radio, television, cable, satellite, and social media systems to disseminate Ebony Alert information; Alabama agencies may issue be-on-the-lookout alerts, electronic flyers, or changeable message signs.
• Permits use of changeable message signs if a vehicle may be involved and identifying information about the vehicle is available for public dissemination.
• Activation criteria include: missing person aged 12-25; potential disability; suspicious or unexplained disappearance; possible trafficking; belief that the person is in danger due to age, health, disability, or environment; presence of a potentially dangerous companion; and the availability of information to aid recovery, using available local resources.
• Effective date: October 1, 2025.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Public Safety & Emergencies