Executive Summary
- Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston announced an amendment to HB 1303 to expand Amber Alert criteria.
- The changes include language regarding enticement and human trafficking to cover gaps in current protocols.
- The legislation follows the death of 17-year-old Hailey Buzbee, for whom no Amber Alert was issued.
- A summer study committee will review a more comprehensive update to the state’s alert system.
INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston announced a legislative amendment on Monday designed to broaden the criteria for issuing Amber Alerts, a move prompted by the abduction and subsequent death of a local teenager.
The proposed language will be incorporated into House Bill 1303, which is currently pending in the Indiana Senate. The amendment aims to provide law enforcement officials with greater flexibility in issuing alerts for missing children, specifically by incorporating provisions related to "enticement" and "human trafficking."
This legislative initiative serves as a direct response to the death of 17-year-old Hailey Buzbee, who disappeared from Fishers, Indiana, on January 5. Investigators determined that she was transported to Ohio, where she was subsequently killed. Despite the circumstances, an Amber Alert was not issued during the search because the case did not meet the strict existing requirements, which typically demand specific information about a suspect and their vehicle.
Following the tragedy, Buzbee’s family organized a petition calling for "Hailey’s Law," which advocated for the creation of a "Pink Alert" system to address missing children cases that fall outside standard Amber Alert parameters. According to the announcement, the expansion of the current system is intended to address these concerns without creating a separate alert designation. The amendment is scheduled to be introduced in committee on Tuesday.
While this measure represents an immediate adjustment to state policy, Speaker Huston noted that a study committee will be formed this summer to undertake a comprehensive review of the state’s emergency alert infrastructure.
Legislative Reform Impact
The modification of House Bill 1303 signifies a pivotal shift in how state authorities define "endangered" status regarding missing adolescents. By legally recognizing enticement and trafficking as valid triggers for emergency alerts, lawmakers are attempting to close procedural loopholes that have historically prevented the public dissemination of information in cases involving grooming or coercion. This legislative update underscores the evolving nature of public safety protocols, prioritizing the rapid recovery of vulnerable minors over the rigid adherence to traditional abduction definitions.
