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California Senior Legislature Calls for Silver Alert System

It’s not the actual California Legislature but each year, 120 seniors from across the state gather at the Capitol to write legislation that often ends up as law. Today, the California Senior Legislature wrapped up its work and announced its top priorities. Ben Adler reports from Sacramento.

You’ve heard of the Amber Alert for kidnapped children. But what about a Silver Alert? Orange County Senior Senator Jim Levy says that would help track down someone with Alzheimer’s or another disease who wanders away from their home.

“This is an Amber Alert to help find a senior who has dementia who somehow left and doesn’t know how to get back and doesn’t know where he is. The first 24 hours is very important to try to locate this person", Levy says.

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The Senior Legislature is aware of the budget crisis facing the actual legislature. Levy says adding the Silver Alert to the existing Amber Alert infrastructure can be done at relatively low cost. Other ideas include stricter sentences for identity theft against senior citizens and requiring handrails at all public staircases.