H*4244 Concurrent Resolution, By L.O. Graham, Alexander, Bailey, R.A. Barber, 
J.M. Baxley, H. Brown, Canty, Carnell, Cato, Cooper, R.S. Corning, 
J.L.M. Cromer, Davenport, Delleney, L.L. Elliott, Fair, T.L. Farr, Gamble, 
Govan, H.M. Hallman, Harrell, Harrison, Harvin, B.H. Harwell, D.N. Holt, 
H.G. Hutson, Inabinett, Kelley, W.D. Keyserling, Klauber, Koon, Law, 
J.G. Mattos, J.G. McAbee, D.E. McTeer, Meacham, Moody-Lawrence, Neilson, 
Phillips, T.F. Rogers, I.K. Rudnick, Sharpe, J.S. Shissias, Simrill, R. Smith, 
D. Smith, Spearman, Stille, C.H. Stone, Stuart, C.L. Sturkie, P.H. Thomas, 
Trotter, J.W. Tucker, C.Y. Waites, C.C. Wells, L.S. Whipper, Wilkes, 
S.S. Wofford, Young-Brickell and R.M. Young
 A Concurrent Resolution to commend the organizations and agencies involved in
 "Operation Child Alert" in South Carolina for their efforts in attempting to
 help promptly recover children under the age of twelve who are abducted or are
 otherwise missing under suspicious or unlawful circumstances, and to
 memorialize the Federal Communications Commission to allow "Operation Child
 Alert" to become part of the Emergency Broadcasting System, thereby giving
 national exposure to these cases.

   05/26/93  House  Introduced HJ-93
   05/26/93  House  Referred to Committee on Invitations and Memorial
                     Resolutions HJ-93
   05/27/93  House  Committee report: Favorable Invitations and
                     Memorial Resolutions HJ-140
   05/27/93  House  Adopted, sent to Senate HJ-141
   05/27/93  Senate Introduced, adopted, returned with concurrence SJ-8

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

TO COMMEND THE ORGANIZATIONS AND AGENCIES INVOLVED IN "OPERATION CHILD ALERT" IN SOUTH CAROLINA FOR THEIR EFFORTS IN ATTEMPTING TO HELP PROMPTLY RECOVER CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF TWELVE WHO ARE ABDUCTED OR ARE OTHERWISE MISSING UNDER SUSPICIOUS OR UNLAWFUL CIRCUMSTANCES, AND TO MEMORIALIZE THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION TO ALLOW "OPERATION CHILD ALERT" TO BECOME PART OF THE EMERGENCY BROADCASTING SYSTEM, THEREBY GIVING NATIONAL EXPOSURE TO THESE CASES.

Whereas, in South Carolina several hundred children under the age of twelve are abducted or become missing each year under unexplained circumstances and nationally this unfortunate figure runs into the thousands; and

Whereas, because of this terrible problem a group of concerned organizations and agencies in South Carolina joined together to form "Operation Child Alert"; and

Whereas, the South Carolina Sheriffs Association, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Association, the South Carolina Solicitors Association, the State Law Enforcement Division, the Governor's Office of Public Safety, the Office of Emergency Preparedness, and the South Carolina Broadcasters Association, developed this program through cooperative effort to assist in the prompt recovery of these children; and

Whereas, under Operation Child Alert if a child is reported missing and has no history of being a runaway and where there is no apparent domestic dispute involved, the local police agency having jurisdiction of the case promptly contacts SLED. SLED immediately transmits a message to all members of the South Carolina Broadcasters Association of the fact that this child is missing. The participating broadcasters then try to get on the air within a matter of minutes a bulletin that this child is missing with appropriate descriptions of the child and other vital information because the first few hours are very critical in the successful recovery of these children; and

Whereas, the citizens of this State owe a special debt of gratitude to each of these fine agencies or organizations for their fine efforts in this endeavor, to SLED and Chief Robert Stewart for volunteering to be the coordinating agency to activate this system, and to the broadcasters of South Carolina who have agreed to treat these matters as high priorities; and

Whereas, the General Assembly also calls upon the Federal Communications Commission to allow Operation Child Alert and other similar programs throughout the United States to become part of the Emergency Broadcasting System, thereby giving national coverage to the fact that these children have been abducted or are otherwise missing under suspicious circumstances. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

That the members of the General Assembly hereby commend the organizations and agencies involved in "Operation Child Alert" in South Carolina for their efforts in attempting to help promptly recover children under the age of twelve who are abducted or are otherwise missing under suspicious or unlawful circumstances.

Be it further resolved that the members of the General Assembly hereby memorialize the Federal Communications Commission to allow "Operation Child Alert" to become part of the emergency broadcasting system thereby giving national exposure to these cases.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the South Carolina Sheriffs Association, South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Association, South Carolina Solicitors Association, State Law Enforcement Division, Governor's Office of Public Safety, the Office of Emergency Preparedness, South Carolina Broadcasters Association, and Federal Communications Commission.