In January 2026, 17-year-old Hailey Buzbee left her home in Fishers, Indiana. She never made it back. Days later, her life was taken across state lines. While her family searched desperately for answers, no Amber Alert was issued—not because Hailey wasn’t in danger, but because Indiana’s alert system didn’t fit the reality of her situation.

That gap should never exist again.

Hailey’s Law is about closing the space between what our laws assume and what families are living through right now. Today, Indiana’s Amber Alert system is narrowly defined. If there isn’t immediate proof of abduction or specific suspect details, an alert may never go out—even when credible warning signs, coercion, or online grooming are present. Hailey’s case exposed how devastating that delay can be.

Lawmakers have already taken important first steps by proposing expanded criteria within House Bill 1303 to account for enticement and human trafficking risks. But Indiana families need a clear, lasting commitment. Hailey’s Law should ensure that when a child goes missing under credible risk factors, authorities have the flexibility to alert the public quickly. It should also require age-appropriate education in schools about online predators, grooming, and digital manipulation—because prevention matters just as much as response.

Parents, educators, law enforcement, and lawmakers from both parties agree on one thing: children deserve every possible protection. Updating the alert system and strengthening education are common-sense measures that respect public safety while adapting to modern threats.

We are calling on the Indiana General Assembly to fully pass Hailey’s Law this session, and on Gov. Mike Braun to sign it into law. Acting now means honoring Hailey’s memory with something lasting—protections that could save another child’s life.