WASHINGTON, D.C. (WOWO): U.S. Rep. Rudy Yakym of Indiana has introduced legislation aimed at expanding the use of AMBER Alerts for missing children considered to be at high risk, even when an abduction cannot immediately be confirmed.

According to Yakym’s office, the High-risk Alert Improvement for Locating Endangered Youth Act, known as the HAILEY Act, is named in honor of 17-year-old Hailey Buzbee of Fishers, Indiana.

The proposal would allow law enforcement agencies to issue AMBER Alerts for people younger than 18 who are believed to be high-risk missing persons, broadening the criteria currently required under federal law.

Yakym said the legislation was inspired by Hailey’s case after the teenager disappeared in January 2026. According to Yakym’s office, Hailey was allegedly lured away by an adult she met online and never returned home. Because authorities initially classified her disappearance as a runaway case, an AMBER Alert was not issued.

“Hailey Buzbee deserved better, and so do the countless other children who fall through the cracks of an alert system that wasn’t built for the threats they face today,” Yakym said in a statement released by his office.

The Buzbee family thanked Yakym for introducing the legislation, calling it a step toward improving protections for children and helping families facing similar situations.

According to Yakym’s office, the bill would amend the federal PROTECT Act to add AMBER Alert standards for minors whom law enforcement reasonably believes are high-risk missing persons.

Current federal guidelines generally require law enforcement to confirm an abduction and determine a child is in immediate danger before issuing an AMBER Alert.

The legislation has been referred to Congress for consideration.