Alyssa’s Law: What It Requires and Which States Have Passed It

October 23, 2026
School administrator and a uniformed police officer pointing at a school floor plan spread across a desk

Key Takeaways

  • Alyssa’s Law is the name given to state laws that address silent panic alarms or mobile panic alert systems in schools, designed to get law enforcement and 911 notified as fast as possible. As of October 23, 2026, 13 states have passed a version: New Jersey, Florida, New York, Texas, Tennessee, Utah, Oklahoma, Georgia, Washington, Oregon, Virginia, West Virginia and Illinois.
  • The laws fall into four groups: six require a panic alarm or panic alert system (New Jersey, Florida, Texas, Utah, Oklahoma, Georgia), one requires an emergency response system in which panic buttons are one option (Washington), two permit wearable panic alarms without requiring them (Virginia, West Virginia), and four require schools to consider one (New York, Tennessee, Oregon, Illinois).
  • Georgia’s July 1, 2026 deadline has passed, so its mandate is now in force. Next up: West Virginia’s state rule is due by December 31, 2026, and Illinois’ law takes effect January 1, 2027.
  • A federal bill, Alyssa’s Act (H.R. 6809), has been introduced but has not passed.
  • No state law names a product. The laws describe capabilities, such as integration with the local 911 center or a wearable device for classroom staff, so compliance depends on your state’s exact text.

Alyssa’s Law requires schools in covered states to have, permit or consider a silent panic alarm or mobile panic alert system that alerts law enforcement and 911 the moment staff activate it. What that means in practice depends heavily on the state: Georgia has required a 911-integrated mobile panic alert system in every public school since July 1, 2026, while Virginia only permits school boards to provide wearable panic alarms.

Where Alyssa's Law comes from

Alyssa Alhadeff was 14 when she was killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, on February 14, 2018. Her parents, Lori and Ilan Alhadeff, founded Make Our Schools Safe, which has since championed silent panic alarm legislation in statehouses across the country.

The premise is simple. In a school emergency, every second between the first sign of danger and the arrival of responders matters, and the person who sees the danger first is usually a teacher or staff member who may not be able to make a phone call safely. A silent alarm linked directly to law enforcement removes that delay.

What Alyssa's Law typically requires

Although each state writes its own version, most share some of these elements:

  • A silent alert. The alarm notifies responders without sounding inside the building.
  • A direct link to responders. Stronger laws require integration with the local public safety answering point (the 911 center), and Georgia names Next Generation 9-1-1 specifically.
  • Real-time coordination. Florida, Oklahoma and Georgia describe systems that connect multiple first responder agencies.
  • Location and mapping. Georgia requires schools to procure digital school mapping data that integrates with the panic alert system.
  • Training. Utah and West Virginia require staff training on the device before the school year.
  • Coverage. Texas requires technology in every classroom; Utah requires a wearable device for a staff person in each classroom.

Alyssa's Law by state (as of October 23, 2026)

Each enacted law below links to the official legislature or state government source. “In force” means the law’s effective date or compliance deadline has already passed.

State Law and citation What it requires Status
New Jersey A764, P.L.2019, c.33 At least one silent panic alarm in each public elementary and secondary school building, linked directly to local law enforcement (or an approved alternative) Signed February 6, 2019; in force
Florida SB 70 (2020), ch. 2020-145; s. 1006.07(4)(c), F.S. Each public school, including charter schools, must implement a mobile panic alert system (“Alyssa’s Alert”) that integrates with local 911 center infrastructure In force since the 2021-22 school year
New York S7132B, ch. 227 of 2022 District-wide school safety teams must consider installing a panic alarm system Signed June 23, 2022; in force
Texas SB 838 (2023); Educ. Code 37.117 Every classroom in each district and open-enrollment charter school must have silent panic alert technology allowing immediate contact with emergency services In force since the 2025-26 school year
Tennessee HB 322 / SB 274, Pub. Ch. 367 (2023) School safety teams must consider a mobile panic alert system in their safety plans Signed May 2023; in force
Utah HB 84 (2024); Utah Code 53G-8-805 Each local education agency (LEA) provides a staff person in each classroom with a wearable panic alert device for immediate contact with emergency services, in line with its school safety needs assessment; training before the school year In force since May 1, 2024
Oklahoma HB 4073 (2024) Each district implements a mobile panic alert system that integrates with 911 infrastructure; the State Board of Education adopts a list of approved systems Signed June 14, 2024; in force since the 2024-25 school year
Georgia HB 268 (2025), “Ricky and Alyssa’s Law”; O.C.G.A. 20-2-591 Each public school must implement a mobile panic alert system integrated with local 911 technology, including Next Generation 9-1-1, and with school mapping data In force since July 1, 2026
Washington ESSB 5004, ch. 347, Laws of 2025; RCW 28A.320.126 Districts must work with law enforcement and 911 centers on an emergency response system that includes at least one listed technology, such as panic or alert buttons tied to administration, staff and emergency responders In force since July 27, 2025
Oregon HB 3083 (2025), ch. 208, Oregon Laws 2025 A school’s governing body must consider installing a panic alarm system as part of its building security policies Enacted 2025; effective date not shown on the legislature’s measure page
Virginia HB 592 (2026), ch. 45; Va. Code 22.1-79.4:1 Permits (does not require) school boards to provide employees wearable panic alarms that signal the local 911 center and, when appropriate, trigger a schoolwide notification In force since July 1, 2026
West Virginia HB 4798 (2026), ch. 123 Permits wearable panic alert devices in public schools, contingent on available funding; devices must integrate with 911 infrastructure and be able to start a campus-wide lockdown notification; training required In force since June 8, 2026; state rule due December 31, 2026
Illinois HB 5107, P.A. 104-0789 Public school districts and private schools must consider a mobile panic alert system in emergency and crisis response plans, coordinating with their local 911 authority Signed August 7, 2026; takes effect January 1, 2027

A few notes on the table. New Jersey’s law was approved in February 2019 and tied its effective date to voter approval of the state’s school security bond act. Virginia’s effective date reflects the state’s standard July 1 effective date for regular-session laws. Make Our Schools Safe lists additional companion bills for several states (for example, Texas, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Georgia and Virginia); the table shows the principal measure we verified.

States with pending Alyssa's Law bills

Make Our Schools Safe’s state tracker lists bills in these states as pending or in progress: Alabama (HB 216, HB 234), Arizona (HB 2803, HB 2683), Arkansas (HB 1492), Kentucky (HB 14), Maine (LD 808), Massachusetts (H 3881), Michigan (HB 4241, HB 4242, SB 76), Mississippi (HB 42), Missouri (SB 1733, HB 3174), Nebraska (LB 1156), Ohio (SB 313), Pennsylvania (SB 1206, HB 634) and South Carolina (H 3258). We have not independently confirmed the current status of each of these bills, and some may have expired at the end of their legislative sessions. Check your legislature’s website before relying on any of them.

Connecticut is a related case. The tracker notes that Connecticut’s SB 1216 made panic alarms eligible for its school security grant program, but it describes this as not yet an Alyssa’s Law.

Is there a federal Alyssa's Law?

Not yet. Alyssa’s Act (H.R. 6809 in the 119th Congress) would create minimum national standards, but the tracker lists it as introduced, not passed.

The four types of Alyssa's Law, and why they matter

Reading the table by obligation, not by date, gives a clearer picture of what schools actually have to do.

Type of law States What schools must do
Requires a panic alarm or panic alert system New Jersey, Florida, Texas, Utah, Oklahoma, Georgia Install and operate a system meeting the statute’s capabilities
Requires an emergency response system, with panic buttons as one option Washington Build a system with law enforcement and 911 centers that includes at least one listed technology
Permits wearable panic alarms Virginia, West Virginia No obligation to buy, but any system adopted should meet the statute’s description
Requires consideration New York, Tennessee, Oregon, Illinois Formally evaluate a panic alarm system in safety planning and document the decision

“Consider” laws are easy to underestimate. A documented evaluation creates a record that boards, parents and insurers can examine after an incident, so treat the decision as seriously as a purchase.

Key dates ahead

  • December 31, 2026: West Virginia’s State Board of Education, with the state’s Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, must adopt its rule for wearable panic alert devices.
  • January 1, 2027: Illinois’ Alyssa’s Law takes effect.
  • March 1, 2027: Illinois State Police rules defining what qualifies as an “Alyssa’s Alert” are due.
  • 2028-29 school year: Illinois districts and private schools must have considered a mobile panic alert system in their plans.

Deadlines in Georgia, Texas, Florida, Utah, Oklahoma, Washington and Virginia have already passed. In those states, a gap is a current compliance issue, not a future one.

How to approach Alyssa's Law compliance

  1. Read the statute, then the rules. Note every capability verb: integrate, transmit, notify, provide, train.
  2. Talk to your 911 center early. Several laws require integration with the local public safety answering point, and Illinois requires coordination before you purchase.
  3. Check state lists and grants. Oklahoma maintains an approved list. Grant programs, such as Utah’s School Safety and Support Grant Program, may offset costs.
  4. Cover the people, not just the rooms. Classroom laws are the floor. Include nurses, counselors, coaches, custodians and bus drivers.
  5. Train and drill. Utah and West Virginia require training before the school year. Include the system in lockdown drills.
  6. Document everything. Keep records of evaluations, training, tests and real activations.

How Silent Beacon supports Alyssa's Law goals

Silent Beacon offers a panic button for schools built around the core idea behind every version of this law: getting help on the way the moment a staff member asks for it, without a phone call they may not be able to make.

A direct, silent line to 911. Silent Beacon’s 2.0 panic button is a wearable panic button for classroom and itinerant staff. In Emergency Alert Mode it calls the number the school chooses, which can be 911, through the device’s own built-in two-way speakerphone, so the staff member can talk to the dispatcher hands-free. In Silent mode the speaker and LED turn off while the microphone keeps listening, and the call and alerts still go out.

Simultaneous alerts to the school team. At the same moment the call is placed, text, email and push notifications with GPS location go to designated contacts such as the principal and school resource officer, so the building can respond while police are on the way.

Schoolwide messages. The Mass Alert Portal lets administrators send lockdown, evacuation and all-clear messages by SMS, email and automated voice call to defined groups, with every message logged.

Deployment without construction. The device pairs with the staff member’s smartphone over Bluetooth® and uses the phone’s cellular or Wi-Fi connection, so there is no building wiring, and organizations are typically operational in under two weeks. Test coverage in every building during your pilot, since the device relies on the paired phone having a signal.

Because requirements differ, confirm with your 911 center and state rules how any product, including ours, fits your law. Our articles on Illinois’ Alyssa’s Law and Georgia’s school panic button mandate go deeper on those two states.

Frequently Asked Questions.

Which states have passed Alyssa's Law?

As of October 23, 2026, 13 states have passed a version of Alyssa’s Law: New Jersey, Florida, New York, Texas, Tennessee, Utah, Oklahoma, Georgia, Washington, Oregon, Virginia, West Virginia and Illinois. Their requirements range from mandatory panic alert systems to laws that only require schools to consider one.

Sources

Get a Quote for Your Team

Alyssa’s Law is changing fast, so check your state’s statute and rules each year. If your district is building or reviewing its plan, Get a Quote and talk with a safety expert about how Silent Beacon can fit your state’s requirements.

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