ALYSSA Act

Alyssa's Legacy Youth in Schools Safety Alert Act or the ALYSSA Act

This bill addresses school security by requiring silent panic alarms in elementary and secondary schools and reauthorizing a program to train school resource officers.

First, the bill requires that each elementary and secondary school have a silent alarm to alert local law enforcement authorities and emergency responders about a safety issue at the school.

Further, the bill conditions receipt of funds by a local educational agency (LEA) upon each elementary and secondary school served by the LEA being equipped with at least one panic alarm for use in a school emergency.

The bill reauthorizes for FY2021-FY2030 the school resource officers program.

The Alyssa Act, also known as Bill 117 HR 3661, is a piece of legislation introduced in the US Congress with the aim of improving school safety measures. The bill is named after Alyssa Alhadeff, one of the victims of the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida in 2018.

The Alyssa Act specifically focuses on enhancing communication between schools and law enforcement agencies in the event of an emergency. It requires schools to install silent panic alarms that can be activated in case of a threat or emergency situation. These alarms would immediately alert local law enforcement, allowing for a quicker response time and potentially saving lives.

Additionally, the Alyssa Act mandates that schools develop and implement comprehensive emergency response plans that include protocols for responding to active shooter situations. This would ensure that both students and staff are prepared and know how to react in the event of a crisis. Overall, the Alyssa Act aims to improve school safety and security measures by enhancing communication and response protocols in the event of an emergency. It is a bipartisan effort to prevent future tragedies like the one that occurred at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.