Michigan House Bill HB4517

Michigan 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 5/21/25
• Refer: 5/21/25
• Report Pass: 8/13/25
• Engrossed: 9/4/25
• Refer: 9/9/25
• Report Pass: 4/29/26
• Refer: 4/29/26

Caption

Law enforcement: reports; communications under the amber alert act; modify. Amends title & secs. 1, 2 & 5 of 2002 PA 713 (MCL 28.761 et seq.). TIE BAR WITH: HB 4518'25

Summary

HB 4517 amends Michigan’s 2002 Child Abduction Broadcast Act to broaden and modernize how information about child abductions and missing children may be shared by radio and television stations. It renames the act the “child abduction and missing child broadcast act” and updates the title to reflect that it covers both abducted and missing children. The bill authorizes stations that receive information from the Michigan Department of State Police under the state’s Amber Alert law to broadcast that information in any manner that may help locate the child or apprehend a suspect, expressly including dissemination through social media. The bill also preserves liability protection for stations that accurately broadcast this information. Under the amended Section 5, a radio or television station that accurately relays the state police information is immune from liability based on that broadcast. The measure is tied to HB 4518, meaning it does not take effect unless the companion bill is enacted into law as well.

Impact

HB 4517 would amend MCL 28.761, 28.762, and 28.765 within the Child Abduction Broadcast Act, expanding the statute’s scope from child abductions alone to include missing children and clarifying that broadcasts may occur through modern channels such as social media. It would not create a new reporting system, but it would update the legal framework governing how media outlets may disseminate Amber Alert-related information and would continue statutory immunity for accurate broadcasts made from Michigan State Police information. The bill affects radio and television stations, the Michigan Department of State Police, and the state’s child recovery alert system.

Sentiment

The available voting history suggests strong support and little opposition. The bill was reported from committee without amendment and later passed the House overwhelmingly, with 104 yeas and only 1 nay on the immediate-effect roll call. No committee transcripts were provided, but the near-unanimous votes indicate broad agreement that the law should be updated to reflect current communication methods and to support child recovery efforts.

Contention

There is little visible contention in the record provided. The main policy choice is whether to expand the broadcast authority to include social media and to cover missing-child reports in addition to abductions, while preserving immunity for accurate broadcasts. Any concern would likely center on the scope of media dissemination, the accuracy of information shared, and the balance between rapid public alerts and liability protection, but the vote totals suggest these issues did not generate significant opposition.