LANSING, Mich. (March 5, 2026) — Yesterday, the Michigan Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 492, sponsored and championed by Sen. Jeremy Moss (D-Bloomfield). This legislation ensures that a student transferring from one school is not disenrolled until their records are accepted by the new school.
The bill was introduced in response to a harrowing case of child neglect in Pontiac in Sen. Moss’ district, in which three children were abandoned by their mother for years, surviving on their own in deplorable conditions.
“This gap in the school transfer process can have devastating consequences. After the tragic case in Pontiac, we have a responsibility to make sure no other child falls through the cracks. We must strengthen oversight to prevent further cases of neglect or abuse,” said Sen. Moss. “My legislation is a necessary step to ensure this never happens again. I thank Sheriff Bouchard and Prosecutor McDonald for their partnership in moving this critical bill forward.”
According to the Oakland County Sheriff, the children’s school records were last tracked years ago during an intent to transfer them to another school, but their new enrollment was never confirmed. The original school removed them from its enrollment list, and they slipped through the cracks of the education system as no district had the responsibility to follow up on their welfare.
“I appreciate Sen. Moss’ efforts to help us close a gap in the school code that has allowed children to fall through the cracks with tragic results,” said Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard. “If we can prevent one such tragedy in the future, it is well worth it.”
SB 492 tightens procedures for transferring enrollment records, requiring that the transfer school provide written confirmation of a student’s new enrollment before they can be disenrolled from the original school.
“Kids belong in school,” said Oakland County Prosecutor Karen D. McDonald. “Sen. Moss’ common sense, bipartisan legislation closes an enrollment loophole that can allow vulnerable children to slip through the cracks. As a former public-school teacher, family court judge and prosecutor, I have seen firsthand how attendance at school can help keep kids protected. When children are in school, they are learning and socializing. They are fed and they are with trusted adults who can recognize and report signs of abuse and neglect. Now that the bill has been approved by the Senate, I encourage the House to quickly pass this important reform to help protect Michigan children.”
This bill now heads to the House, where it awaits further consideration.