Alyssas Law Working Toward National Legislation Being Required in All Schools
Alyssa’s Law requires public schools to install silent panic alarms that notify law enforcement officials of emergency situations when they occur, in order to give them a faster response time.
- By Kaitlyn DeHaven
- July 19, 2019
“Alyssa’s Law,” which requires public schools to install silent panic alarms to protect students during emergency situations, may be expanded nationwide due to new legislation that was recently introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The name of the law came about after 14-year-old Alyssa Alhadeff was killed in the Parkland, Fla. shooting in 2018. Alyssa’s mom, Lori Alhadeff, promoted the bill through her organization “Make Our Schools Safe.” This bill would make Alyssa’s Law a federal mandate, and would require silent panic alarms that signal law enforcement in case of an emergency.
“This means the world to us to be able to honor Alyssa, but also to get these panic buttons in every school in the country where if a threat happens, a teacher can push a button and get law enforcement on the scene as quickly as possible to take down the threat,” Alhadeff said.
However, the law isn't completely new. It was formerly known as A-764 and was introduced by Democrat Ralph Caputo in January of 2013 following the Sandy Hook shooting. In the aftermath of the shooting that have taken place in the years following, the concept of silent alarms gained traction nationally.
“I couldn’t be more thrilled that Congress is working to expand ‘Alyssa’s Law’ to every school in America,” Caputo said. “We will never forget the tragedies at Sandy Hook, Parkland and countless other schools nationwide, and we must never stop fighting to make sure it never happens again. Silent panic alarms can be useful tools for school personnel and law enforcement during emergencies, from active shooter scenarios to lockdowns to non-fire evacuations. While we cannot prevent every security threat, we can ensure our schools are prepared to diffuse emergencies as quickly as possible.”
Annette Quijano, D-Union, who was also in support of the bill, said that this bill will allow law enforcement to have a quick response to the situation, which could be the difference between a good and a bad outcome.
“A quick response from law enforcement to an emergency can make all the difference in the outcome,” said Quijano. “We owe it to these children and the adults charged with their care to give them as much help as possible if they are ever confronted with a life and death situation.”
About the Author
Kaitlyn DeHaven is the Associate Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.