A pair of bills to strengthen safety measures for missing children in the state of Michigan brought by State Reps. Angela Rigas and Jerry Neyer are now heading to Governor Whitmer to be signed into law. 

“This change was a necessity,” said Rigas (R-Caledonia). “We named this legislation the Rowan Act in memory of six-year-old Rowan Milford Morey, whose life was tragically lost during a failed custody exchange in Isabella County in August 2024. Rowan’s mother repeatedly asked law enforcement for help, but an Amber Alert couldn’t be issued because the situation did not meet the legal definition of an abduction. The outcome was horrific, and today, we’re making sure that does not happen again.” 

“Rowan Morey’s passing is something our community will always carry with us, and it comes with a duty to reflect and act,” said Neyer (R-Shepherd). “When a child is missing, every hour matters, and delays can have irreversible consequences. Our current system should never allow procedural limits to stand in the way of a timely response. This legislation makes sure that future cases will be met with the speed and seriousness they demand.”  

We are going to ensure that no family is ever left without urgent action when every second matters.” 

House Bills 4517 and 4518, introduced by Neyer and Rigas, will expand Michigan’s child alert system by allowing public broadcasts for missing children, not just abducted children, and by authorizing the use of social media to distribute information about missing or abducted children.  

In addition, the bill would require the Michigan State Police to issue an Amber Alert for missing children with special needs or for any missing child determined to be in danger after a preliminary investigation. The legislation also defines a child with special needs as an individual under age 26 who has a qualifying disability, requires specialized services, and has not yet graduated from high school. 

“When a child goes missing, every single minute matters,” Rigas said. “A child’s life should never be put at risk because a situation does not fit a narrow legal definition. We need to modernize the system while keeping the focus where it belongs: on locating missing children and bringing them home to safety.”