Committee advances bill to create Louisiana ‘Spectrum Alert’ for missing people with autism

Chairwoman Debbie Villio said the Committee on Criminal Justice met April 15 and heard House Bill 74, sponsored by Representative Echols, which would create a Louisiana Spectrum Alert to help locate missing people with autism.

Representative Echols told the committee the proposal is modeled after programs in Florida and other states and would be layered into existing Amber and Silver alert systems to notify the public and give law enforcement “crucial time to respond.” He said the program could leverage existing tools and would likely require additional local training for first responders.

Krisha Poole, who identified herself as the mother of a nonverbal 3‑year‑old boy, testified in support and described a recent local drowning she said might have had a different outcome if a Spectrum Alert had been active. “If a system like this were in place … more people could have been aware, more eyes could have been looking, and that child might be here still to this day,” Poole said. She urged the committee to include training for law enforcement, fire, EMS and wildlife officers.

Members praised the bill and discussed adding language to incorporate post‑academy training. Representative Cox told the committee he has a grandson on the autism spectrum and indicated he would move the bill favorably. Representative Echols closed by urging passage: “When a child on the spectrum goes missing, seconds matter,” he said.

Without objections, the chair reported HB 74 favorably out of committee by voice vote. The bill will proceed to the next stage where members indicated they expect to circulate a coauthor sheet and may refine training language before floor consideration.