New Lauria and Ashley Law requires anyone convicted of accessory to murder to serve 85 percent of their sentence

Gov. Kevin Stitt has signed a bill into law that's named in honor of two 16-year-old girls who disappeared from Welch, Oklahoma, 25 years ago. Lauria and Ashley's Law requires anyone convicted of accessory to murder to serve 85 percent of their sentence.

Lauria's mother, Lorene Bible, says it took two years of hard work to get this passed. Lorene says that while this new law doesn't help her daughter's case, it will help other victims' families in the future.

Lauria Bible and Ashley Freeman were kidnapped in 1999, the same night Ashley's parents were murdered.

The girls are presumed dead, but their bodies have never been found.

The only person convicted in connection with the case was Ronnie Busick.

He was sentenced to prison for 10 years for accessory to murder, but served around two.

"That's when we said, Okay, how do we make sure this doesn't happen for another family?" said Lorene.

The Department of Corrections said Busick was released for time served and good behavior.

"Just, it's extremely frustrating, because there's a lot of effort went into these cases," said Gary Stansill.

Stansill spent the last 13 years looking for Lauria and Ashley and built a case that put Busick behind bars.

"The person being charged had something to do with someone being murdered as accessory in some way, shape or form. So someone lost their lives, and so I think it's only appropriate they serve at least 85% of their sins," he said.

The bill didn't become law last year because a legislator said it was a step back for criminal justice reform.

"We took the time this year to make sure the Senate knew what this bill was," said Lorene.

Rogers County District Attorney Matt Ballard believes lawmakers saw the need for this law.

"I think they just recognized that they needed a law to hold those people in prison, to keep them behind bars where they need to be," he said.

Lorene says this will also keep the girls' story alive.

"With the bill of their name, they will always be remembered as the two missing girls from Welch, and that the incident that they disappeared in, it still matters," she said.

The law will go into effect on Nov. 1.

Gary Stansill says the case won't close until Lauria and Ashley are found.