June 4, 2022
Assembly Announces Passage of Alyssa's Law
Speaker Carl Heastie and Assemblymember Kenneth P. Zebrowski today announced that the Assembly has passed Alyssa’s Law, which would require school districts to consider installing panic alarm systems (A.10018, Zebrowski).
“Schools should be a safe place for our kids to learn and grow,” Speaker Heastie said. “While we passed a comprehensive package of legislation to strengthen our state’s gun laws, installing these technologies would add a layer of security to our schools in the event of a shooting or an emergency, and give schools a direct line of communication to law enforcement.”
“Alyssa’s Law will sharpen school safety plans around the state by ensuring districts consider panic alarms and direct communication technologies between buildings and police,” Assemblymember Kenneth P. Zebrowski said. “These technologies and procedures may reduce response times and save lives during a school shooting incident. This bill won’t bring Alyssa back, but it will honor her memory. I would like to thank especially Alyssa’s mother Lori, her cousin Jaydn and the rest of her family for their tireless work to make our schools safer.”
Alyssa’s Law would require school district district-wide safety teams to consider, as part of their review of the comprehensive district-wide safety plan, the installation of a panic alarm system to silently alert law enforcement in the event of a life threatening or emergency situation. The bill is named for Alyssa Alhadeff, who was shot and killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on February 14, 2018.