Gov. Susana Martinez says a new law creating a statewide Silver Alert warning system will help in finding missing people with Alzheimer's disease or dementia.
Similar to the Amber Alert program for abducted children, the Silver Alert system provides for emergency distribution of notices when someone 50 years or older is missing and the individual has a cognitive impairment such as Alzheimer's disease.
The city of Albuquerque started a Silver Alert program last year.
The new state law is among about 60 that took effect on Monday, including broader protections for the New Mexico chile industry from misleading advertising of products using out-of-state peppers.
About 130 laws went into effect last month, including expansion of the Amber Alert system to include children abducted by a parent or other family member.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.