After the death of 17-year-old Hailey Buzbee, Indiana lawmakers are pushing for legislative changes to improve child safety online and strengthen the state’s missing persons alert system. Buzbee, a Fishers teenager, was killed in Ohio after disappearing in early January, prompting renewed calls for reform, FOX59 reported.
Among the proposed actions is an amendment to House Bill 1303 that would broaden Amber Alert criteria to include children at significant risk. State Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D-Fishers) said, ‘We will provide every tool necessary to ensure that this will never happen again, and that Hailey’s death was not in vain.’ Lawmakers are also considering a Pink Alert system for missing minors who do not meet Amber Alert qualifications but face credible risk, WISH-TV reported.
The urgency to protect teens from online predators includes new social media regulations. An amendment to Senate Bill 199 would require verified parental consent for accounts of users under 16 and limit data sharing and marketing to that age group. Hailey Buzbee’s father, Beau Buzbee, emphasized to the House Education Committee that children’s safety is at risk, highlighting the importance of the proposed legislation, WTHR reported.
While the amendments provide an immediate response, House Speaker Todd Huston said the discussion will continue this summer with a study committee examining a comprehensive update of Indiana’s alert system. Huston emphasized that the current measures are only initial steps in a broader effort to improve online safety and support the Buzbee family.
