Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11)
Washington, D.C. – In case you missed it, Michigan Congresswomen Haley Stevens and Debbie Dingell introduced the Justice for Allie Act, legislation to protect vulnerable adults from online sexual exploitation and close dangerous gaps in federal law when these crimes cross state lines.
Named for Michigan advocate Allie Hayes, the bill builds on Michigan’s unanimously passed Justice for Allie law and would make it a federal crime to knowingly coerce, manipulate, or entice a vulnerable adult into sending intimate images with the intent to cause harm.
Here’s what Michiganders are seeing and reading about Rep. Haley Stevens fighting to protect vulnerable adults and hold online predators accountable:
WXYZ: Troy woman’s story reaches US Congress with ‘Justice for Allie Act’
By: Brett Kast
- U.S. Reps. Debbie Dingell, Ann Arbor, and Haley Stevens, Birmingham, have officially introduced the Justice for Allie Act in Congress today — federal legislation modeled closely after the Michigan law, which earned unanimous bipartisan support. The federal version includes language that adds “with the intent to cause harm.”
- “Allie and her family, they’re pretty convincing. She’s a pretty special person,” Stevens said. “This landmark legislation will put up federal guardrails, federal offenses for those who intend to do harm to exploit those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, no matter their age.”
WLNS: Michigan woman with Down syndrome inspires federal push to shield vulnerable adults from online abuse
By: Brad LaPlante
- U.S. Reps. Debbie Dingell (D-Ann Arbor) and Haley Stevens (D-Birmingham) are leading a new federal push to crack down on online predators who target adults with disabilities, inspired by the case of a Michigan woman with Down syndrome whose family could not find justice under existing law.
- The legislation is named for Allie Hayes, a Michigan woman with Down syndrome who was targeted by an online predator in 2017. Because Hayes was over 18, her family discovered there was no clear legal pathway to hold the perpetrator accountable. Her parents, Dawn and Mark Hayes, have spent nearly a decade pushing for changes in both state and federal law.
- Their efforts helped lead Michigan’s Justice for Allie law, written by state Rep. Sharon MacDonnell (D-Troy) and signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2023 after winning unanimous support in the Legislature. The new bill would implement the model nationwide.
- “The internet is everywhere — we cannot let online predators evade prosecution simply because their crimes cross state lines,” Stevens said in a statement.
- Two Congresswomen representing Michigan want to take a state law national, proposing legislation they say would close a major gap in fighting sexual exploitation.
- Representatives Haley Stevens and Debbie Dingell introduced the Justice for Allie Act. Now the legislation would make it a federal crime to knowingly coerce, manipulate, or entice a vulnerable adult into sending intimate images with the intent to cause harm.
- At just 18 years old, Allie Hayes, who has Down syndrome, was targeted online by a predator who coerced her into sending explicit photos. Well, since then Allie and her family have spent years fighting to protect other vulnerable adults.
- Well, this moment has been years in the making for Allie Hayes and her family. As you can see in this photo, it was just over two years ago that Governor Whitmer signed Justice for Allie into law, and now, here in 2026 this law could go from the Governor’s desk to the President’s desk.
- As Allie continued to share her story, she got the attention of lawmakers in Washington like Congresswoman Debbie Dingell and Haley Stevens, who introduced the Justice For Allie Act today in Congress.
- “And this is a proud moment, and it’s going to be an even prouder moment when we get this bill signed into law.”
- The legislation is very similar to the law passed in Michigan which garnered strong bipartisan support. The Hayes family hopes for the same here knowing justice for Allie is only justice because of Allie.
- In Washington, Michigan Representatives Haley Stevens and Debbie Dingell introduced the Justice for Allie Act. It would make it a federal crime to knowingly coerce, manipulate, or entice a vulnerable adult into sending intimate images with the intent to cause harm.
- The bill closes a major gap in federal law by addressing online sexual exploitation that crosses state lines. The legislation is named for Allie Hayes, a Michigan woman with Down syndrome who was targeted by an online predator in 2017.
- The Michigan woman who inspired the state’s Justice For Allie law is now at the center of a new push in Washington.
- Congresswomen Debbie Dingell and Haley Stevens have introduced a bill they say would close a gap that let online predators slip through the cracks when the victim is a vulnerable adult, and the crime crosses state lines.
- Well back in 2023, state law prohibited people from taking advantage of the disabled to make them give up sexually explicit material. The thing is, the law has not gone national, but the Hayes family says it’s about time it goes federal.
- Now when it comes to that law that’s being proposed by Congresswoman Dingell and Stevens, they’re hoping they can get it through the House during this session of Congress.
- In Washington, Michigan Representatives Haley Stevens and Debbie Dingell have introduced the Justice for Allie Act. It would make it a federal crime to knowingly coerce, manipulate, or entice a vulnerable adult into sending intimate images with intent to cause harm.
- The bill closes a major gap in federal law by addressing online sexual exploitation that crosses state lines. The legislation is named for Allie Hayes, a Michigan woman with Down syndrome who was targeted by an online predator in 2017.
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