Grassley, Klobuchar Push to Extend Law to Help Locate Missing Individuals with Autism and Alzheimer’s

09.19.2022

WASHINGTON - Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), today introduced legislation to extend Kevin and Avonte's Law, which assists communities in locating individuals with autism, Alzheimer's and related conditions that cause them to wander from safety. The bill, which reauthorizes a 2018 law authored by Grassley, is named in honor of two boys with autism who perished after going missing, would also support training for caregivers to prevent and respond to instances of wandering.

"Kevin and Avonte's Law has been instrumental in helping to reunite families with loved ones living with forms of autism and Alzheimer's Disease who've wandered from safety. Sen. Klobuchar and I worked to pass the original law in 2018, and this reauthorization will further empower communities to lend a hand in preventing and responding to instances of wandering. Extending this bipartisan law will improve outcomes for these families and continue to honor those we've lost, like Kevin Curtis Wills of Jefferson, Iowa," Grassley said.

"We must do everything we can to support people who are diagnosed with Alzheimer's, autism, and other developmental disabilities. Our bipartisan legislation will ensure that caregivers and law enforcement have the tools and training they need to act when these Americans go missing. Reauthorizing this bill will help families locate their loved ones, prevent tragedies and save lives," Klobuchar said.

The bill is named in honor of two young boys diagnosed with autism who wandered away from supervised settings and drowned. One of the two, nine year-old Kevin Curtis Wills, died in 2008 in the Raccoon River near his home town of Jefferson, Iowa. The other, high school student Avonte Oquendo of Queens, New York, drowned in NYC's East River in 2014. Six year-old Hamza Elmi of St. Cloud, Minnesota, who was also diagnosed with autism, drowned in the Mississippi River near his home in 2015.

The bill reauthorizes an alert program to help notify communities about missing individuals with Alzheimer's Disease, autism and other developmental disabilities. It also allows Justice Department grants to be used for state and local education and training programs to help prevent wandering and reunite caregivers with missing family members who have a condition linked to wandering. Along with Grassley and Klobuchar, the bill is also cosponsored by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).

"The Autism Society of Iowa strongly supports the reauthorization of Kevin and Avonte's Law and we thank Senator Grassley for his leadership on this important issue," said Kris Steinmetz, Executive Director of the Autism Society of Iowa.

"The Autism Society of America applauds the introduction of a bill to reauthorize Kevin and Avonte's Law. The law honors the memory of Kevin Willis and Avonte Oquendo, two boys with Autism who drowned after wandering from a supervised setting. This law has resulted in increased training of first responders and helped reduce the number of injuries and deaths of people with Autism due to wandering. These trainings are extremely important and must continue and be increased. The Autism Society supports Senator Grassley's leadership on this issue and stands ready to help move this bill quickly through Congress,"said Christopher Banks, President and CEO of the Autism Society of America.

"Autism Speaks strongly supports the reauthorization of Kevin and Avonte's Law, and we are grateful to Senators Grassley and Klobuchar for their leadership in bringing this bill forward. Since its passage, Kevin and Avonte's Law has resulted in local communities across the country receiving $10 million in critical funding for programs to reduce the dangers associated with wandering, a common behavior among autistic individuals that puts tremendous stress on families and tragically has resulted in far too many injuries and deaths. We applaud the sponsors of this legislation for their efforts on behalf of the autism community and urge swift passage," said Keith Wargo, President and CEO of Autism Speaks.

The bill is also supported by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Read more about the original Kevin and Avonte's LawHERE.

-30-