The recent Carlee Russell kidnapping hoax captured the interest and subsequent ire of the nation, and State Rep. Juandalynn Givan (D-Birmingham) hopes all the negative attention won't hurt the chances of her bill targeting missing black youth from passing.
Similar to an Amber Alert that is sent out when a young person goes missing, Givan's bill would create an "Ebony Alert" to be used exclusively when a young black person goes missing, WBRC reported.
Givan claimed there is a disparity and lack of interest when a black person goes missing versus a white person despite the massive amount of national attention and outpouring of support Russell, who is black, and her family initially received before she admitted the kidnapping was fake.
It's due to Russell's lies that Givan is concerned her bill, which she intends to file this week, would have a tough time passing the legislature.
"I think it's very important; I'm just hoping that because of what happened that it doesn't taint the process," Givan told WBRC. "We're dealing with across-the-[aisle] negotiations every time we go into that building… I think it probably would have been easier to get the bill out before this happened, but who knows? I fight for a lot of different causes, and I'm still going to fight for this one."
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email daniel.taylor@1819news.com.
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