WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted overwhelmingly in favor of Kevin and Avonte’s Law, which was introduced last month by Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Thom Tillis (R-NC).
Kevin and Avonte’s Law provides resources to help families locate loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease, autism, or other related conditions that make them prone to wander—sometimes with tragic results. It reauthorizes the Missing Alzheimer’s Disease Patient Alert Program and authorizes funding to be used for the purchase of tracking technology that helps the families of a child with developmental disabilities recover their child in the event they become separated.
“I’m proud to join Senators Grassley and Schumer in supporting Kevin and Avonte’s Law, which will help save lives and give families a greater peace of mind,” said Senator Tillis. “This legislation has a deep personal meaning for me, as I was a caregiver for my grandmother during her battle with Alzheimer’s disease. We should be moving heaven and earth to help families and caregivers reunite with loved ones who wander and disappear, and Kevin and Avonte’s Law can truly make a difference in preventing tragedies.”
Kevin and Avonte’s Law has been endorsed by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the Alzheimer’s Association, American Society on Aging, Autism Speaks, The Arc, National Autism Association, Safe Minds, and other organizations.
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