LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Northern Michigan legislator, State Representative Neil Friske (R-Charlevoix), is championing legislation in the state, HB 5391, that he believes could have made a difference in a recent missing persons case.
Rep. Friske is advocating for statewide legislation that compels the rapid activation of Silver Alerts by the Michigan State Police for missing seniors as well as medical alerts for vulnerable adults. Similar to Amber Alerts, these Silver Alerts would specifically target seniors who are at risk due to health issues like dementia, Alzheimer’s, or other related conditions.
The first 48 hours in a missing persons case are the most critical.
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According to Rep. Friske, the crucial first 48 hours in finding missing individuals necessitate swift action, and the proposed Silver Alerts are aimed to expedite the process by mobilizing resources promptly.
Despite the existence of the Mozelle Senior or Vulnerable Adult Medical Alert Act in Michigan (Act 176 of 2012), which permits alerts for missing elderly individuals, Friske argues that the new legislation would strengthen the current law by providing clearer and more stringent guidelines.
The current Act defines a “missing senior or vulnerable adult” as one who is “at least 60 years of age and is believed to be incapable of returning to his or her residence without assistance and is reported missing by a person familiar with that individual.”
A vulnerable adult is considered to be a person missing and suffering from senility or a physical or mental condition that subjects the person or others to personal and immediate danger.
More urgency and public exposure is needed in cases of missing seniors.
The Act, however, has no immediate urgency. It says after a missing persons report is filed, the “law enforcement agency shall as soon as practicable forward that information…”
Although that same wording exists in the new legislation, it also says that the department of state police “shall establish and maintain the missing senior or vulnerable adult medical alert system plan” to “rapidly disseminate useful information in a predetermined manner to wireless devices through the existing wireless emergency medical alert system operated under federal law.”
Alert would be activated after missing persons report is filed.
The alert would be activated after a report is completed in accordance with the policies established by the department of state police. After completion of the report, the legislation says a law enforcement agency shall notify the department of state police of the missing senior or vulnerable adult and request a medical alert be issued under the system plan.
The legislation for the proposed Silver Alerts came from the wife of a missing individual in a recent case out of Emmet County at the end of September last year. His name is David Moffett. Although the man’s dog, Stella, who was with him during a walk, returned home, the man, who had Alzheimer’s, never returned home.
Lawmaker explains need for new legislation.
Michigan News Source reached out to Rep. Friske about the legislation and Moffett’s disappearance and he said, “Folks often forget that some of our oldest seniors are just as vulnerable as some of our youngest children. Implementing Silver Alerts will ensure missing seniors are treated with the same urgency as missing children.”
Rep. Friske went on to say, “This issue is close to home for me. My community was left heartbroken after a 70-year-old with Alzheimer’s, David Moffett of Emmet County, left for a walk last September and never came home. I introduced this plan for David. We owe it to our seniors to do everything possible to prevent these tragedies.”
Silver Alert Systems or comparable programs focused on locating missing seniors are currently being implemented in 37 states and the District of Columbia.
Democrats have the bill stalled in committee.
In a letter to Democratic House Speaker Joe Tate on Monday, February 26th, House Republican Minority Leader Matt Hall (R-Richland Township) gave Speaker Tate a list of bills that the Republican caucus has discussed and is ready to vote on this week. The list includes the Silver Alert legislation.
The bill, after being introduced by Friske, was referred to the Committee on Government Operations. The Committee has three Democrats and two Republicans.
Michigan News Source contacted Speaker Tate about the bill as well as Democratic Rep. Tullio Liberati (D-Allen Park), Committee Chair on Government Operations but neither of them returned our request for comment about when the legislation might be moving forward.
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