HAILEY Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- H.R. 9236
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Crime and Law Enforcement
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-10: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-30T08:06:33Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose This legislation amends the PROTECT Act to establish minimum standards for issuing alerts through the AMBER Alert Communications Network for high-risk missing persons under the age of 18.
Key Provisions
- Amends Section 302(a) of the PROTECT Act (34 U.S.C. 20502(a)) by adding a new requirement for alerts.
- Specifies that alerts must cover individuals under age 18 whom law enforcement reasonably believes to be high-risk missing persons.
- The bill is titled the High-risk Alert Improvement for Locating Endangered Youth Act of 2026 (HAILEY Act of 2026).
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Expands the existing AMBER Alert framework by adding explicit criteria for high-risk missing youth, beyond prior standards focused primarily on child abduction cases.
- Requires states and localities participating in the network to issue alerts meeting these new minimum standards.
Potential Impacts
- Government agencies, particularly law enforcement and state AMBER Alert coordinators, may need to update issuance protocols and training.
- Citizens could receive more frequent alerts for at-risk missing minors, potentially aiding faster recoveries.
- No direct effects on international relations are outlined.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies responsible for alert dissemination.
- Families and advocates for missing or endangered youth.
- AMBER Alert program administrators and participating broadcasters or media outlets.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- The changes focus on procedural standards for public alerts and do not appear to raise significant constitutional issues.
- The bill emphasizes improved coordination for child safety without altering core legal authorities or imposing new penalties.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (2)
Rep. Spartz, Victoria [R-IN-5], Rep. Shreve, Jefferson [R-IN-6]
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-10: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- 2026-06-10: Introduced in House
- 2026-06-10: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- High-risk Alert Improvement for Locating Endangered Youth Act of 2026 — issued 2026-06-10 — PDF (2 pages)