Alyssa’s Law requires mobile alarm systems in schools | News

OKLAHOMA CITY – The memory of Alyssa Alhadeff will live on in Oklahoma law.

The 14-year-old, whom her parents described as a “bubbly, energetic young lady,” was killed in a school shooting in Parkland, Florida, in 2018.

Her parents, Ilan and Lori Alhadeff, say they hope a new state law created in Alyssa’s name will help prevent future tragedies.

Governor Kevin Stitt acknowledged House Bill 4073, dubbed “Alyssa’s Law,” during the bill’s ceremonial signing at the state Capitol on Tuesday, July 9, 2024.

Alyssa’s Law requires all school districts in Oklahoma to implement a mobile panic alert system to improve emergency call transmission and streamline communication with first responders in the event of an emergency.

Ilan and Lori Alhadeff traveled from Florida to attend the ceremony.

If this policy had been in place the day of the Parkland shooting, “Alyssa would be with us today,” her father said.

“The introduction of Alyssa’s Law was crucial for us as it allows us to continue her legacy,” said Ilan Alhadeff. “Her name should not go down in history in vain, and the introduction of Alyssa’s Law allows her name to be carried forward and talked about again and again.”

The alarm system must provide floor plans, caller location, and real-time updates to first responders in the event of an emergency. It must also automatically notify appropriate school personnel of the emergency, either via text message, phone call, smartphone app, or other technology.

Oklahoma is the seventh state to pass the law, with New Jersey being the first in 2019.

The Alhadeff family founded the nonprofit organization “Make Our Schools Safe” to bring Alyssa’s Law to the national attention.

According to Lori Alhadeff, this will create a “standard level of safety protection in schools” and ensure comprehensive notification in the event of an emergency.

“We hope we can enforce this across the country so that all parents can have confidence that their children will go to school safely and come home alive,” she said.

The February 14, 2018, shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School left 17 people dead, including 14 students, and 17 others injured. The shooter was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

A Florida state review concluded that the police response to the shooting was “unsatisfactory” and was hampered by faulty emergency call and radio systems and inadequate notification to the school building of the impending shooting.

Four Broward County Sheriff’s Office officers, including the school’s security officer, were fired for failing to confront the shooter.

Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, said he felt a “very personal connection” to the tragedy because his family lives in the Broward County school district. He said his niece and nephew were on the playground at their Parkland elementary school the day of the shooting.

Pugh was one of the lawmakers who introduced Alyssa’s Law in Oklahoma, along with Sen. Darrell Weaver (R-Moore) and Rep. Kevin Wallace (R-Wellston). He said it creates a uniform rule for schools while giving them the flexibility to choose the mobile alarm system they prefer.

It could be phone-based, such as an app, or a physical device installed in classrooms, he said.

Some schools in Oklahoma have begun implementing similar alarm systems, such as the Rave Panic Button.

“The ultimate goal is to prevent (these incidents). But when these incidents do occur, we must be able to respond appropriately to minimize, if not completely neutralize, any kind of casualties or negative impacts on human life from these incidents,” Pugh said after signing the law.

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Oklahoma Voice provides independent, nonpartisan reporting that holds public officials accountable and gives a voice to those who are too often marginalized in the political process. Oklahoma Voice is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization. This and other articles are available online at oklahomavoice.com.

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