Bill > HB4798

This bill, known as "Alyssa's Law," mandates that the state board and the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management establish rules by December 31, 2026, to allow every public school in West Virginia to implement a wearable panic alert system, provided funding is available. These systems, referred to as wearable panic alert devices, must be able to send 9-1-1 calls and mobile alerts to local emergency services and trigger a campus-wide lockdown notification. County school boards are authorized to provide these devices to school staff for immediate contact with emergency responders, and all personnel using them must receive annual training on their proper use. Additionally, county boards must ensure that local law enforcement agencies have access to school security data, such as cameras and access control systems, and establish protocols for this access. A dedicated fund, the Alyssa Alhadeff School Safety Fund, will be created to support the implementation of these mobile panic buttons and other school safety equipment, and these provisions will expire on December 31, 2029.

Education

http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/Bills_history.cfm?input=4798&year=2026&sessiontype=RS&btype=bill