S. 772 would reauthorize the AMBER alert grant program and extend grant eligibility to Indian tribes. The AMBER alert program is a partnership among law enforcement agencies, transportation agencies, and communication providers to provide alerts on child abduction cases. Under current law, that funding is only available to states.
The bill would authorize the appropriation of $10 million in 2018—$5 million for AMBER alert grants and an additional $5 million for the Department of Justice to carry out activities related to integrating state, regional, and tribal communication plans and developing new technologies to improve AMBER alert communications. Assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts, CBO estimates that implementing the bill would cost $10 million over the 2018-2022 period. In previous years no funds have been appropriated for those efforts.
Enacting S. 772 would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply. CBO estimates that enacting S. 772 would not increase net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2028.
S. 772 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act. Local and tribal governments could benefit from provisions in the bill that extend the program and make Indian tribes eligible for Department of Justice grants for AMBER alert services. Any costs to those governments, including matching contributions, would result from complying with conditions of assistance.
