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Senate hearing on Alyssa's Law would require funded panic-alert systems in Ohio schools
Summary
Senator Reynolds presented sponsor testimony for Senate Bill 105 (Alyssa's Law), requiring wearable panic-alert devices in every public and chartered nonpublic school building and proposing $25 million in reimbursement funding for initial installation.
Senator Michelle Reynolds told the Senate Finance Committee on Oct. 29 that Senate Bill 105, known as Alyssas Law, would require every public and chartered nonpublic school building to implement a wearable panic-alert system and provide funding to help schools install the technology.
"This is a funded mandate that requires every public and chartered non public school in Ohio to implement a wearable panic alert system in each of the school buildings," Reynolds said during sponsor testimony. She told the committee the device is intended to provide a "silent, immediate line of communication between school staff and local law enforcement." The bill would appropriate $25,000,000 in fiscal year 2026 to reimburse schools for installation and maintenance costs.
Reynolds said the legislation builds on similar laws in other states and aims to reduce delays in emergency response. "When an emergency strikes in a school setting...every second is critical," she said, citing the 2018 Parkland shooting and noting that Alyssa Alhadeffs mother has advocated nationally for the law.
Committee members questioned operational details. Senator Lang asked whether the state would cover ongoing maintenance costs beyond initial setup; Reynolds responded that the bill intends to cover initial setup costs and that other grant funds (the Attorney General's office grant program was mentioned) could assist with ongoing costs, but maintenance beyond initial procurement is likely to fall to districts unless future legislative action provides additional funding.
Senator Ingram asked whether the wearable devices would be provided to all staff categories and how alerts would interface with existing local emergency plans; Reynolds said schools would retain flexibility to integrate the technology into their current emergency protocols and that many systems include configurable signals (for example, different push sequences) and GPS capability to pinpoint alerts within a building.
Senator Brenner and others expressed support for the bill as a targeted, bipartisan measure. The committee did not take a vote during the first hearing.
