May 20, 2010
  | RUDDER - ADDIEGO AMBER ALERT BILL |
Initiating a false “Amber Alert” warning is a step closer to becoming a crime in New Jersey following General Assembly approval today of legislation sponsored by Assembly Republican members Scott Rudder and Dawn Marie Addiego.
“Initiating an Amber Alert sets off a chain reaction of information and action involving many entities at both the local and state levels,” explained Rudder, R-Burlington. “Since an alert often triggers numerous notifications and search and rescue efforts, much manpower is often required of law enforcement authorities. Depending on how long the alert remains in effect, it often results in substantial costs to local communities while at the same time it depletes the capabilities of the affected law enforcement authorities, which puts the general public at risk. There needs to be consequences for such irresponsible actions.”
“Crying ‘wolf’ is a dangerous game, especially in regards to the safety and welfare of our children,” said Addiego, R-Burlington. “Reporting false information about a missing or an abducted child puts everyone involved at risk. Not only can it be a significant waste of resources, but it undermines the capabilities of our law enforcement authorities and the effectiveness of future Amber Alerts.”
The bill, A-1216, makes knowingly providing false or fictitious information to a law enforcement agency concerning a missing person, which leads to the implementation of an Amber Alert, a crime of the fourth degree, which is punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to 18 months or a fine of up to $10,000, or both.
Rudder and Addiego’s legislation was drafted in response to Bonnie Sweeten, who faked her own kidnapping and was found later with her 9-year-old daughter at Disney World in Florida. Sweeten admitted in court that she dialed 9-1-1 on May 26, 2009, falsely claiming she was locked in the trunk of a car, and that she and her daughter had been kidnapped. The report sparked a national Amber Alert. Sweeten, a longtime paralegal, skipped town because she allegedly had stolen about $280,000 from her ex-husband's 92-year-old grandfather, and the family threatened to arrest her if she didn't repay the money.
The bill now awaits a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee along with its companion bill, S-1615, which is sponsored by Sen. Philip Haines, R-Burlington.
