By GARRETT BERGQUIST
WISH-TV | wishtv.com
State lawmakers on Tuesday said they hope proposed new Amber Alert criteria will prevent future tragedies like that of Hailey Buzbee.
In the legislature’s first action since the Fishers teenager’s death, a Senate committee unanimously advanced a bill to which it added language to significantly expand who qualifies for an Amber Alert. Right now, Amber Alerts can only be issued for children under age 18 who authorities believe have been abducted and are in danger of serious bodily harm or death.
Investigators said Buzbee voluntarily left her family’s home after she had communicated for more than a year with a man she had met through an online gaming platform.
An amendment to a bill addressing child sexual abuse material would add Silver Alert criteria to Amber Alerts. Silver Alerts can be issued in cases where a person’s disappearance may be the result of a crime or occurred under circumstances which are inherently dangerous, but no such alert was issued for Buzbee.
Bill author Rep. Wendy McNamara, R-Evansville, said police might have been able to act more quickly in Buzbee’s case had the proposed rules been in place.
“It would give the Amber Alert the authority to investigate and look at high risk missing people,” she said. “By moving [the Silver Alert criteria] under the Amber Alert, it gives law enforcement more tools to act.”
Sen. Greg Taylor, D-Indianapolis, said he still wonders why no alert went out for Buzbee.
“We shouldn’t have a situation like this, where we have to be in a situation like this, to actually have some discretion used and actually try to help a family,” he said. “Somebody missed it here and we need to acknowledge that.”
The original bill passed the House unanimously at the end of last month. It would have to go back to the House if it passes the Senate due to the Senate’s addition of the Amber Alert language.
This story was originally published by WISH-TV at wishtv.com/news/politics/amber-alert-criteria-expansion.
