Guinn signs amber Alert bill

Gov. Kenny Guinn pm Monday signed Nevada's "Amber Alert" legislation into law, creating a system designed to use police agencies, TV and radio and even casino marquee boards along highways to help track down missing children.

Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, introduced Assembly Bill 322, saying time is critical when a child is abducted and that the public can help find the kidnapper and victim if notified quickly.

"We know now that the majority of children abducted by non-family members are killed within three hours," he said.

The legislation is designed to expand upon the Krystal Alert system already in effect in Northern Nevada and to create an alert system in Southern Nevada. The bill combines the efforts of state law enforcement agencies with the media to get descriptions and pictures to the general public in an effort to find kidnap victims as soon as possible.

The name is in honor of Amber Hagerman, 9, who was kidnapped and killed in Texas in 1997. Northern Nevada's Krystal Alert system was named after Krystal Steadman, 9, who was kidnapped and killed at Lake Tahoe in 2000.

President George Bush signed a similar bill last week providing federal highway funds to help state Amber Alert programs.

Bush and Guinn said most of what the measure calls for can be done without legislation. He said a key provision in the legislation is the "Good Samaritan" protection for broadcasters who put out an alert that may identify a suspect in an abduction case.

Guinn said, however, it's important to set up the system so that it isn't over used."

"It can't just be used every time we get a phone call," Guinn said. "There have to be criteria set up for it."

The system will be operated by a 12-member board appointed by the governor.

The Amber Alert system is designed to go into effect when a child is abducted, quickly putting notification and descriptions of the vehicles and alleged kidnappers on TV, radio, highway information boards and, if arrangements can be made, casino marquees.