<?xml version="1.0"?>
<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>72830</law_id><section_number>52-34.13</section_number><catch_line>Definitions</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>2.2-5517</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="52">Police (State)</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="7.5">Virginia Missing Person with Autism Alert Program</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Media</span>&#x201D; means print, radio, television, and Internet-based communication systems or other methods of communicating information to the public.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Missing person with autism</span>&#x201D; means any person (i) whose whereabouts are unknown; (ii) who has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder as defined in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Coverage for autism spectrum disorder" href="/38.2-3418.17/">38.2-3418.17</a>; and (iii) whose disappearance poses a credible threat as determined by <span class="dictionary">law</span> enforcement to the safety and health of the person and under such other circumstances as deemed appropriate by the Virginia State Police.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">Missing Person with Autism</span> Alert</span>&#x201D; means the notice of a <span class="dictionary">missing person with autism</span> provided to the public by the <span class="dictionary">media</span> or other methods under a <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">Missing Person with Autism</span> Alert</span> Agreement</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">Missing Person with Autism</span> Alert</span> Agreement</span>&#x201D; means a voluntary agreement between <span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement officials and members of the <span class="dictionary">media</span> whereby a person with autism will be declared missing, and the public will be notified by <span class="dictionary">media</span> outlets, and includes all other incidental conditions of the partnership as found appropriate by the Virginia State Police.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Virginia <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">Missing Person with Autism</span> Alert</span> Program</span>&#x201D; or &#x201C;Program&#x201D; means the procedures and <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">Missing Person with Autism</span> Alert</span> Agreements</span> to aid in the identification and location of a <span class="dictionary">missing person with autism</span>.</p></section></text><history>2020, c. 19; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 189.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
