TULSA, Okla. — Lauria Bible's surviving mother told 2 News on the 25th anniversary of her death that aside from finding her daughter's remains, she wants to get a piece of legislation named after her signed into law.
- Previous coverage>>> 25 YEARS: Mother, community mark anniversary of Bible & Freeman disappearance
House Bill 1001 surpassed its first major hurdle on March 12 by passing the state house with a vote of 76-11.
"We want 25 years of digging, fighting, hunting, (and) talking to people to mean something," Lorene Bible told 2 News via Zoom.
Lauria & Ashley's Law is authored by Rep. Steve Bashore of Miami. The bill requires those convicted of accessory to first or second degree murder to fulfill at least 85% of their sentence before possibility of parole or commutation.
Only Ronnie Busick was convicted in the disappearances of best friends Bible and Ashley Freeman on Dec. 30, 1999.
It's believed Phillip Welch and David Pennington went inside Freeman's house in Welch and killed her parents before razing the residence to the ground and likely taking the girls elsewhere to kill them. Busick admitted to being the getaway driver but denied knowing about the crimes.
Both Welch and Pennington have died in years past.
Busick was released from prison on good behavior in 2023 after fewer than three years into his 10-year sentence. His last known residence is in Kansas.
"I don't want this to happen to another family because we thought at least he would be in for ten years," Bible said.
This will be the second time Lauria & Ashley's law makes it to the state senate. Last year it expired on the floor.
Lorene Bible believes this time will be different.
"We found out if you're not there (at the capitol), and you don't bring it to their attention, they may not know what it's about," Bible said. "So that's what we're going to be doing now. For the next several weeks, before we go to the committee in the senate we're going to be educating people: what the law is, what it is exactly for."
Bible hopes the bill getting signed into law means no other grieving parent will be in her situation.
"There will be something to hold those people accountable," she said.
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