Alyssa’s Law Passes in Unanimous 40-0 Senate Vote

March 6, 2020 • By Guest Contributor

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[caption id="attachment_24856" align="aligncenter" width="1152"] Alyssa Alhadeff {courtesy}[/caption]

By: Jen Russon

A law that mandates a panic alert system in every public school in the state of Florida cleared its final hurdle Friday when the Senate voted to approve their version of Alyssa’s Law, (SB 70), the day after the House passed their version, Bill HB 23.

While the Senate bill requires school districts to work with Florida state legislators, not the school board, when choosing a statewide panic alert system, it does not prevent schools from installing additional safety systems of their own.

Senator Lauren Book, who sponsored the bill and carried it with State Representatives, Michael Gottlieb, and Dan Daley (who represents Coral Springs), is calling on the Department of Education (DoE) to start the bidding for a statewide contract.

The bids should come after the Division of Emergency Management, Department of Law enforcement, and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission consult with the DoE.

Alyssa’s Law has made steady progress through the state capital since Lori, and Ilan Alhadeff set its wheels in motion as the centerpiece of their mission for their nonprofit, Make Our Schools Safe.

For Alyssa’s Law to go into effect, the DoE must solicit a contract for a single system that school districts are then given six months to implement.

The panic alert system will be called “Alyssa’s Alert”; to see what the Law named for Alyssa Alhadeff means for Broward County Schools, click here.