KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Today is the final day of the Missouri Legislative session and we're following up with an update on the Purple Alert bill, also known as RJ's Law.
The alert system would work similarly to an Amber Alert, but would focus on helping find missing people with developmental disabilities.
The Senate passed the bill earlier this week.
On Thursday, the House agreed to the Senate's changes, which added amendments, and gave the bill final passage before the end of session.
I spoke with the bill's sponsor, Rep. Sherri Gallick about what happens next and when Missourians could start seeing the the alert system put in place.
"First the governor has to sign it, but I don’t anticipate that being an issue but they have until July of 2027," Rep. Gallick said. "But that doesn’t mean that that can’t get started now, making the changes and also preparing because especially in my bill, which is the 1840, the Purple Alert. There has to be some coordination, there has to be training and they have to make sure that everything is intact to basically turn the alert system on."
Rep. Gallick says the Purple Alert bill or RJ's Law, is now a combination of four bills, including HB 1840, that focus on disabilities: HB 317 - Mason's Law, HB 2408 and SB 1637.
After the Purple Alert bill passed, Rep. Gallick said she's thinking about the families who helped push the legislation forward and the impact she believes it could have for people with vulnerable loved ones.
Daniella Rocha, who first proposed the Purple Alert bill and brought it to Rep. Gallick's attention, says this is a huge win for thousands of families.
"I walked into it not expecting this kind of outcome. I had high hopes, but low expectations because I’ve never dealt with politics before so for it to soar and for it to take off as quickly as it has, it’s been an amazing process," Rocha said. "It takes a lot of effort and a lot of drive but it’s worth it in the end because the purple alert in itself is going to be an incredible, impactful safety tool that can be implemented, that can help bring our children and adult’s home that go missing."
Hali Rauer, a mother who I spoke with last month, who testified earlier this year along with her daughter in favor of the bill, shared her thoughts after the bill passed.
"I’m relieved for families, hopeful for the autism community, and proud that our state has joined us in being proactive rather than only reactive — many times too late — in elopement situations," Rauer said. "There have been so many people working hard behind the scenes to make this happen. It goes to show that families of children with autism are a force to be reckoned with."
The bill now awaits Governor Kehoe's signature. We'll continue to follow the next steps.
