The State House of Representatives voted last week to pass new bills that would reform and expand the way Michigan handles missing children cases and the amber alert system.
The bills are most commonly known as the Rowan Act, named after a 6-year-old Isabella County boy who was killed by his father in a murder-suicide last year.
When Rowan was not returned in a scheduled welfare check and his mother was unable to get ahold of his father, the police were unable to produce an instant welfare check or amber alert due to Michigan law limitations. By the time the police were able to truly act, Rowan was already gone.
Current Michigan law only considers abducted children for amber alerts, with missing persons reports generally allowed after the child is gone 24-72 hours. A child who is believed to be with a custodial parent, even if it is no longer their time with the child, is not considered to be abducted.
Under bills 4517 and 4518 Amber Alerts in Michigan would be expanded to include all missing children considered endangered- instead of legally defined abductions. It would also include social media as a legal means of broadcasting alerts.
The bills will now head to the state Senate after passing through the House 104-1, with five lawmakers abstaining from the vote. If it makes its way through the Senate, it will head to the desk of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
