House committee passes autism missing person alert system
ATLANTA (WSAV) — House Bill 465, the Autism Missing Person Alert System Act, passed unanimously out of the House Human Relations and Aging Committee, a local legislator said Friday.
HB 465 would add autism spectrum disorder to the list of conditions to activate the Mattie's Call state-wide alert system for missing disabled adults. This activation would allow for local law enforcement to prioritize searching waterways and roadways, which is part of Mattie's Call.
It would also allow for law enforcement to disclose autism-related behaviors that could help identifying a missing person with autism spectrum disorder, bill sponsor State Representative Carl Gilliard (D-Savannah) said.
Activation of the alert system for those with autism spectrum disorder would include guidance to local law enforcement to prioritize waterways and public roadways in their search and to disclose distinctive autism-related behaviors that can identify the missing person.
'Today, I am proud to see House Bill 465, the Autism Missing Person Alert System Act, pass unanimously out of the House Human Relations and Aging Committee,' said Rep. Gilliard. 'This is a vital step forward in ensuring that individuals with autism spectrum disorder, who may be at increased risk of going missing, are given the attention and resources they deserve. I applaud the committee for their dedication to advancing this important legislation, and I look forward to seeing it continue its journey through the legislative process to better protect our most vulnerable citizens. I would also like to extend my thanks to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation for their hard work and collaboration in helping to shape this legislation.'
HB 465 will now be considered by the House Rules Committee.
You can read the full bill here:
20252026-232492Download
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Yahoo
Former Beaufort mayor to receive highest award in S.C.
BEAUFORT, S.C. (WSAV) — A former mayor for the City of Beaufort will be crowned by South Carolina state representative Shannon Erickson with the highest award in South Carolina. Billy Keyserling will receive the Palmetto Award for his dedication to public service for over 50 years. Keyserling has worked on Capitol Hill, was a state legislature, a city councilman, reigned Beaufort for 12 years, and now runs two non-profit organizations. Keyserling told WSAV that he's received many awards in his lifetime, but this is one of the highest honors. 'I'm very excited about it. I'm honored. I'm humbled,' said Keyserling. 'I'm appreciative of Stacy Applegate, who basically, unbeknownst to me, started a campaign to talk to Representative Erickson and got a bunch of letters written by people I've worked with over the last 50 years. And I was selected to do it. So, I'd say honored, humbled and have a lot of gratitude for the people I've worked with over the years.' Keyserling said he chose to have the award presented at city hall, because that's the place he called his second home for many years and did some of his best work. The award will be presented on Tuesday, June 10 at Beaufort's city council meeting. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Yahoo
‘No Kings' rallies set for Saturday in Bluffton
BLUFFTON, S.C. (WSAV) – Activists across the country are planning to make their voices heard again this weekend. 'No Kings' rallies are set to take place in nearly 1,400 cities including at least four in the Coastal Empire and Lowcountry. Their message, push back against what organizers call an abuse of power by the Trump administration. 'It's not a hate filled event, it's to make our voice heard,' Rita Conrad of Lowcountry Indivisible said. The advocacy group Lowcountry Indivisible has planned the 'No Kings' event in Bluffton Saturday. 'America fought a battle many, many, many years ago to end King rule in the country. It seems like almost every day there's something that the Trump administration is doing that is kingly,' Conrad said. 'And he's not a king. He is the President. An American President is obligated to follow the Constitution and the rule of law.' Since Trump took office there have been a variety of rallies in several Lowcountry towns and cities. Conrad said several hundred people have joined on with 'indivisible' to make their voices heard. 'We're concerned that he's not responding to rulings from the Supreme Court,' Conrad said. 'He's taking actions, and I don't think anybody believes that the American system is perfect. Even the immigration system, we need to make changes to improve it. And yes, deporting people who have committed crimes, you know, and are here illegally, I don't have a big problem with that. But it's the way they're being rounded up and without due process of law. And I just think that that's not what we are as a country, there are ways to make changes that aren't cruel and don't ruin people's lives.' While the California protests ended with national guard troops called in and some violence, that is not the goal of this rally according to Conrad. Families, kids and dogs are welcome. They have also added a food drive as well to help the people affected by cuts that came or are coming from Washington. 'Cutting health care and food stamps or SNAP benefits to a lot of people who really need help,' Conrad said. 'And the beneficiaries will be people who don't need help. And to me, it's sort of Trump's way of saying let them eat cake. So, our response is, no, not cake. We'll provide some solid food for people who need it.' The Bluffton demonstration will be in front of Beaufort County government building starting at 4 p.m. Saturday. Beaufort and Hilton Head will also be holding rallies on Saturday at noon. The Savannah event begins at 11 a.m. at Thomas Square Park. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Yahoo
School's out but the heat is up! How to keep your kids safe
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) – When the sun is shining, kids love to play, but the temperature is rising – and heat danger and exhaustion can happen fast. It is important to keep them cool and hydrated as children's bodies heat up three to five times faster than the average adult. Be careful on the playground. high temperatures and the beating summer sun can heat up the equipment and burn children's skin. The temperature on my WSAV Weather App says 84 degrees. The temperature of the slide with my thermometer says 121 degrees! That's about a 35 degree temperature difference so always make sure to check playground equipment before children climb or sit. Dr. Ashley Cheek, Pediatrician at Memorial Health, says 'The playground equipment looks the same all year round, but depending on what the weather is that day, it can be very hot and can cause really severe burns. even third degree burns.' To avoid injuries or burns, make sure to plan time outside away from the heat of the day or in the shade. The best time to be outside would be in the morning or the evening. Dr. Ashley Cheek also says 'I think it's an important point and especially for the summer is when you're going to the park, try to go before 10am or after 4pm. Those are the best times as far as sun exposure for kids. Playground equipment in direct sunlight also causes a risk of heating up quickly or even slowly and still causing damage.' If you have to be outside during the heat of the day when the sun is the highest in the sky, the best way to check equipment is with the back of your hand. It's less tough making it easier to feel the heat. It's also easier to pull your hand away to avoid getting burned. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
