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Bill > HB1373

MS HB1373

MS HB1373
"Alyssa's Law Pilot Program"; enact to authorize implementation and installation of silent panic alarm systems in select public and charter schools.

summary

Introduced
01/19/2026
In Committee
01/19/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
02/03/2026

Introduced Session

2026 Regular Session

Bill Summary

An Act To Create "alyssa's Law Pilot Program," To Require School Districts Selected For Participation In The Pilot Program To Implement Silent Panic Alarm Systems For The Purpose Of Ensuring The Safety Of Students And State In The Public Schools Or Charter Schools Located Therein; To Define Terminology; To Require Participating Local School District Or Charter School To Implement And Install A Silent Panic Alarm System In All Eligible Schools Under Their Respective Jurisdiction Beginning With The 2026-2027 School Year; To Specify The Minimum Capability And Functionality Requirements Of The Silent Panic Alarm Systems; To Require Participating Public Schools Or Charter Schools To Provide Each Member Of Its Personnel With A Wearable Panic Alert Device Throughout Each School Facility, Which Allows For Immediate Contact With Local Law Enforcement And Emergency Response Agencies; To Provide Guidelines For Coordination Between Participating School Districts And Local Law Enforcement Agencies; To Provide Regular Training To School Personnel And Law Enforcement On The Protocol And Appropriate Use Of The Panic Alarm System Before The Start Of Each School Year; To Ensure Access To Security Data To Local Law Enforcement And Emergency Response Agencies; To Provide For The Protection Of Such Data And Exempt The Disclosure Thereof From The Public Records Act, Except In Certain Instances; To Require Each Participating School District Or Charter School To Submit An Annual Report To The State Department Of Education Detailing Compliance With This Act And Any Incidents Requiring The Use Of The Panic Alarm System; To Require The State Board Of Education To Adopt Rules And Regulations For The Implementation Of This Act To Establish A Grant Program Administered By The State Department Of Education To Assist School Districts In Compliance; To Prescribe Criteria For Eligibility Of Receipt Of Grant Funds And The Purposes For Which Such Funds May Be Used; To Require The Legislature To Annually Appropriate Funds For The Administration Of This Grant Program By The Department, Which Shall Allocate Funds To School Districts; To Provide For The Severability Of The Provision Of This Act; And For Related Purposes.

AI Summary

This bill, known as "Alyssa's Law Pilot Program," aims to enhance school safety by authorizing the implementation of silent panic alarm systems in select public and charter schools across Mississippi, starting with the 2026-2027 school year. A "silent panic alarm system" is defined as a technology that discreetly and directly alerts local law enforcement during emergencies, including the ability to transmit E-911 calls and mobile alerts, and allows for discreet activation by authorized personnel. Participating schools will be required to equip all personnel with wearable panic alert devices that can immediately contact law enforcement and emergency responders, and also initiate campus-wide lockdown notifications. The program mandates that these pilot schools establish agreements with local law enforcement for coordinated response and ensure that security data, such as camera feeds and building maps, is accessible to emergency agencies, while also protecting this sensitive information from public disclosure except under specific circumstances. To support this initiative, a grant program will be established and administered by the State Department of Education, providing financial assistance to eligible schools for the purchase, installation, and maintenance of these alarm systems, as well as for training school staff and law enforcement. The State Board of Education will develop the necessary rules and regulations for the program's implementation, including technical standards for the alarm systems and training requirements, and participating schools must submit annual reports on their compliance and any incidents where the alarm system was used.

Committee Categories

Education

Sponsors (1)

Last Action

Died In Committee (on 02/03/2026)

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