Bill Would Strengthen ‘Alianna Alert’ School Absence Law

(ONN) – A newly-introduced bill in the Ohio Senate seeks to strengthen a law that requires schools to notify families if their children are absent.

Senate Bill 157 would reduce the amount of time schools have to notify families that their kids are not at school to 60 minutes.

That’s down from the two hours currently required by law.

The bill also would sanction school districts when the law is not followed.

The alert has been named for Alianna DeFreeze, a 14-year-old Cleveland girl who never showed up for school in January 2017.

Christopher Whitaker was sentenced to death for her rape, torture and murder in an abandoned house.