- Rep. Burgess Owens introduced "Alyssa's Act" to establish national school safety standards.
- The bill, named after Parkland victim Alyssa Alhadeff, includes silent panic alarms.
- The legislation has bipartisan support and aims to save lives through consistent safety standards.
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Rep. Burgess Owens introduced "Alyssa's Act" on Tuesday — the week of the eighth anniversary of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, that took the lives of 17 students and staff members.
The legislation, HR6809, seeks to establish national school safety standards, including silent panic alarms that directly notify law enforcement during emergencies. The act was named in honor of Alyssa Alhadeff, who was killed in the 2018 Parkland shooting.
"Our children are our future. They're our most important natural resource, and we need to ensure they're protected," Owens said during a press conference at the U.S. Capitol.
Local versions of Alyssa's Law have passed in Utah, Florida, New York, New Jersey, Tennessee, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Georgia, Washington and Oregon.
Owens' legislation would build on this momentum to establish "consistent, lifesaving safety standards" for schools across the nation.
"This bill is simple. Alyssa's Act strengthens programs that we already have in place. It helps us to improve our resources (and) to study and standardize best practices to protect our students," Owens said.
Additionally, the bill would amend current statute, permitting the Federal School Safety Clearinghouse to conduct research and tests on technology to help protect children in schools and districts across the nation.
Speaking at the announcement, Lori Alhadeff, Alyssa's mother, said that if a lockdown had been initiated sooner at Marjory Stoneman Douglas, her daughter "might be with us here today."
Lori and Ilan Alhadeff founded the Make Our Schools Safe nonprofit to champion school safety reform around the country.
"That is why Alyssa's Act matters. It provides schools with a clear, immediate way to get help. Wearable panic alarm technology connects teachers and staff directly with first responders and administrators via precise location and information. The principle is simple: Time equals life," Alhadeff said. "Alyssa's Act was born from tragedy, but it prepares schools for everyday emergencies that happen across America."
The Utah State Board of Education agreed last week to a cooperative contract with four companies to provide wearable panic alert systems to schools statewide.
Owens noted that the bill has bipartisan support, with New Jersey Rep. Josh Gottheimer and Florida Rep. Jared Moskowitz, both Democrats, joining Owens as co-authors and co-sponsors.
Gottheimer described the legislation as "one of those things that just makes a lot of sense."
"This has to happen. We have to get this done because it will save lives," Gottheimer said. "The fact that Alyssa should be graduating college and chasing her dreams ... that's a powerful reminder that we have to keep going. But in her memory, in the memory of all those we lost at Parkland ... and all the students we've lost around the country, we have to do this."
