Executive Summary
- Indiana lawmakers are set to vote Tuesday on expanding Amber Alert criteria.
- The legislation follows the death of 17-year-old Hailey Buzbee, who did not qualify for an alert under current rules.
- New provisions would allow alerts for missing teens considered “high risk.”
- Further discussions on a separate “Pink Alert” system are scheduled for the summer.
INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana state lawmakers are scheduled to cast a vote on Tuesday morning regarding a legislative amendment that would significantly modify the criteria for issuing Amber Alerts. The proposed changes aim to expand the emergency notification system to include missing teenagers who are deemed to be at “high risk,” a designation intended to close gaps in the current alert protocols.
This legislative push follows the death of 17-year-old Hailey Buzbee of Fishers, Indiana. According to reports from WSBT, Buzbee had been missing for nearly a month before her body was discovered in Ohio. Under existing statutes at the time of her disappearance, law enforcement was unable to issue an Amber Alert because the circumstances did not meet the strict criteria required for activation.
The new language, which has been attached to an Indiana House Bill, seeks to authorize alerts for missing adolescents when specific risk factors are present, even if a confirmed abduction has not been witnessed. In addition to immediate changes to the Amber Alert system, proponents are advocating for a distinct notification tier known as a “Pink Alert.” According to legislative sources, discussions regarding the implementation of a dedicated Pink Alert system are expected to continue during the summer interim sessions.
Legislative Implications
The proposed amendment represents a significant shift in public safety policy, moving the Amber Alert system from a strictly abduction-based model to one that incorporates risk assessment for vulnerable minors. By broadening the definition to include “high risk” scenarios, the state acknowledges the limitations of current protocols in protecting teenagers who may be in danger but do not fit the traditional profile of a kidnapping victim. If passed, this legislation would align Indiana with other jurisdictions that have sought to modernize emergency alert criteria to better address the complexities of missing youth cases.
