South Michigan News

State Rep. Kathy Schmaltz has voted in favor of establishing a Silver Alert system designed to help locate missing seniors and vulnerable adults in Michigan. Schmaltz, who chairs the House Families and Veterans Committee, played a role in moving the proposal forward.

House Bill 4362 directs the Michigan State Police to use current federal technology to set up a mobile alert system. This would enable first responders to send alerts directly to mobile phones statewide when seniors or vulnerable adults are reported missing, similar to how the Amber Alert system operates.

“Putting a Silver Alert system in place will give families hope in their most desperate moments,” Schmaltz said. “It will make sure vital information reaches our communities quickly, where it can save lives and reunite families.”

At present, police agencies are able to issue wireless emergency alerts through broadcasters and newspapers but cannot send them directly to the public’s phones. The new legislation aims to change that by allowing notifications to be sent straight to mobile devices. The bill relies on existing resources without creating new departments or requiring extra state funding.

The measure received bipartisan support in the House and is now headed to the Senate for further review.