Committee hears ‘Alyssa’s Law’ to add wearable panic alerts and bolster school emergency response

Representatives of students, families and vendors testified March 3 in favor of House Bill 3,083, commonly called Alyssa’s Law, which would require public K–12 schools to consider adding emergency alert devices that connect directly to 911 and strengthen school emergency procedures.

Representative Levy introduced the bill as a funded nonmandate and said the Student Success Act and existing school-safety budgets could support per-school allocations; she and others said an amendment would clarify that devices which connect directly to 911 with geolocation qualify for funding. Senator Broadman also voiced support, saying the proposal builds on existing emergency preparedness.

Lori Alhadeff, founder of the nonprofit Make Our Schools Safe and mother of Alyssa Alhadeff, a 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School victim, urged passage and said: “Time equals life.” She described the devices as a layered safety tool that helps in active-threat situations and other emergencies, including medical events and weather incidents, and cited examples from other states where alert systems sped emergency response and saved lives.

Julia Salimoni, a Parkland survivor and Oregon resident, asked lawmakers to honor the victims by passing the law. Chris Short, a former police reserve officer and representative of Motorola Solutions, described the Panic Button Program that links school staff and first responders, noting the technology has evolved from a phone app to an integrated system that can share camera feeds, radio communications and other situational data with 911.

A staff measure summary noted the bill would require schools to develop emergency safeguard policies, consider adding wearable panic alarms capable of connecting to emergency services, and provide 30 minutes of drills and instruction each month. Representative Levy said the bill will include an amendment to define approved devices and a budget note increasing the per-school allotment to about $4,000; she said vendor costs range from roughly $2,000 to $8,000 per school.

Witnesses and lawmakers agreed the devices are intended to augment, not replace, other safety measures. Several speakers stressed the devices’ everyday utility for medical crises and non‑active‑shooter emergencies and sought clear guidance on funding, implementation timelines and integration with local 911 systems.

The hearing closed without a committee vote. Committee members expressed appreciation for the testimony and signaled interest in technical clarifications and the pending amendment that would specify device standards and funding language.