Pennsylvania lawmakers are advancing a bill to create a purple alert system aimed at quickly locating missing individuals with mental or physical disabilities. Bill named for Columbia County boyThe proposed system would specifically target at-risk individuals with conditions such as autism or Down syndrome.The bill, titled “Aiden’s Law,” is named after a nonverbal autistic boy from Columbia County who went missing in October 2022 and was later found dead in the Susquehanna River. Supporters cite urgent needSupporters of the bill say the purple alert system could have immediately sent out his photo, description, and last known location, mobilizing more resources and potentially saving his life. “Individuals with disabilities are at risk when they go missing due to their unique needs and the chance that they could not communicate effectively,” said Sara Nye, a 22-year-old advocate for the autism community from Dauphin County. Nye, along with Republican state Rep. Robert Leadbeter of Columbia County, highlighted the dangerous gap in resources for vulnerable individuals with intellectual, developmental, cognitive, or neurological disabilities. How the alert would workSimilar to Amber Alerts for abducted children, Silver Alerts for missing older adults, and Green Alerts for missing at-risk veterans, the purple alert would notify the public and law enforcement immediately when an at-risk individual goes missing and allocate resources to bring them home safely. Currently, only six states have a purple alert system:FloridaMarylandKansasMississippiConnecticutWest VirginiaMeasure heads to full HouseThe bill has passed through a House committee and is now on its way to the full House for consideration. If approved, it would move to the Senate and then to the governor’s desk. While the bill currently has only Republican co-sponsors, the unanimous committee vote included 14 Democrats, signaling bipartisan support that could help it advance further.
Pennsylvania lawmakers are advancing a bill to create a purple alert system aimed at quickly locating missing individuals with mental or physical disabilities.
Bill named for Columbia County boy
The proposed system would specifically target at-risk individuals with conditions such as autism or Down syndrome.
The bill, titled “Aiden’s Law,” is named after a nonverbal autistic boy from Columbia County who went missing in October 2022 and was later found dead in the Susquehanna River.
Supporters cite urgent need
Supporters of the bill say the purple alert system could have immediately sent out his photo, description, and last known location, mobilizing more resources and potentially saving his life.
“Individuals with disabilities are at risk when they go missing due to their unique needs and the chance that they could not communicate effectively,” said Sara Nye, a 22-year-old advocate for the autism community from Dauphin County.
Nye, along with Republican state Rep. Robert Leadbeter of Columbia County, highlighted the dangerous gap in resources for vulnerable individuals with intellectual, developmental, cognitive, or neurological disabilities.
How the alert would work
Similar to Amber Alerts for abducted children, Silver Alerts for missing older adults, and Green Alerts for missing at-risk veterans, the purple alert would notify the public and law enforcement immediately when an at-risk individual goes missing and allocate resources to bring them home safely.
Currently, only six states have a purple alert system:FloridaMarylandKansasMississippiConnecticutWest VirginiaMeasure heads to full House
The bill has passed through a House committee and is now on its way to the full House for consideration. If approved, it would move to the Senate and then to the governor’s desk.
While the bill currently has only Republican co-sponsors, the unanimous committee vote included 14 Democrats, signaling bipartisan support that could help it advance further.