Hailey’s Law; Indiana Targets Amber Alerts and Online Safety
STATEHOUSE — The death of 17-year-old Hailey Buzbee has sparked an urgent push at the Indiana Statehouse to overhaul child safety laws.
Hailey, a Hamilton Southeastern High School student from Fishers, was found dead in Ohio after being lured from her home by Tyler Thomas, whom she met through online gaming. Because her disappearance was initially labeled as a runaway case, it did not meet the strict criteria for an Amber Alert, a gap that her family and lawmakers are now moving to close.
Lawmakers are amending House Bill 1303 to give law enforcement more flexibility. The change would allow Amber Alerts to be triggered the moment law enforcement believes a child has been enticed or is at “high risk,” even if they appear to have left on their own. While some advocates have called for a separate “Pink Alert” system under “Hailey’s Law,” legislative leaders are prioritizing this Amber Alert expansion to ensure police have immediate tools to notify the public before it is too late.
At the same time, Senate Bill 199 is being used to take on the “unregulated experiment” of social media. The bill aims to protect minors by requiring parental consent for anyone under 16 to create a social media account. By targeting digital spaces where grooming occurs, lawmakers hope to prevent predators from ever reaching children like Hailey.
Hailey’s father, Beau Buzbee has been a powerful voice at the Statehouse, testifying that the internet has become a “predator’s playground.” He believes these changes are a necessary first step in a much larger fight.
“We are in the midst of the greatest crisis of our time. We are losing the fight to protect our children. The internet and social media are the devils’ and predators’ playgrounds, and it’s on this front that we must fight,” Buzbee said.
