(a)    (1)    In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.

(2)    “Caregiver” means a parent, spouse, guardian, legal custodian, or person responsible for the supervision of another adult.

(3)    “Law enforcement agency” means a State, county, or municipal police department or agency, or a sheriff’s department.

(4)    “Missing person” means an individual:

(i)    whose whereabouts are unknown;

(ii)    who suffers a cognitive impairment including a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia to the extent that the individual requires assistance from a caregiver; and

(iii)    whose disappearance poses a credible threat to the health and safety of the individual due to age, health, mental or physical disability, environment, or weather conditions, as determined by a law enforcement agency.

(b)    (1)    The Department of State Police shall establish a Silver Alert Program to provide a system for rapid dissemination of information to assist in locating a missing person.

(2)    The Department of State Police shall:

(i)    adopt guidelines and develop procedures for issuing a Silver Alert for a missing person;

(ii)    provide training to local law enforcement agencies on the guidelines and procedures to be used to handle a report of a missing person;

(iii)    provide assistance to a local law enforcement agency, as necessary, to assist in the safe recovery of a missing person;

(iv)    recruit public and commercial television and radio broadcasters, local volunteer groups, and other members of the public to assist in developing and implementing a Silver Alert;

(v)    consult with the State Highway Administration to establish a plan for providing information relevant to a Silver Alert to the public through the dynamic message sign system located across the State; and

(vi)    consult with the State Department of Education to develop a program that:

1.    allows high school students to assist in the search for a missing person under this section;

2.    complies with COMAR 13A.03.02.06; and

3.    is consistent with the student service–learning guidelines developed by the State Department of Education.

(c)    A caregiver or person filing a report regarding a missing person immediately shall notify the local law enforcement agency with which the report was filed and the Department of State Police if:

(1)    the missing person who was the subject of the report is located; and

(2)    it is unlikely that the local law enforcement agency or the Department of State Police has knowledge that the missing person has been located.