'Camo Alert' legislation proposed to help find missing veterans in Florida

A proposal filed Monday in the state House would create a “Camo Alert” program to help military veterans who have mental illness or traumatic brain injuries and go missing in Florida.

The proposal (HB 1051), filed by Rep. Heather Fitzenhagen, R-Fort Myers, would be similar to the state’s Silver Alert program, which is designed to help locate seniors or other people with conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.

The Silver Alert program includes steps such as issuing bulletins to law-enforcement agencies and notifying the news media about missing people.

Under Fitzenhagen’s bill, Camo Alerts could only be issued for at-risk veterans who are included in a new voluntary registry. Veterans or their guardians could register.

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