TRENTON — Legislation providing for the installation of panic buttons and emergency lights in public schools to alert authorities in the case of attacks and emergencies was signed by Governor Phil Murphy today.
The bill (A764) is named in honor of Alyssa Alhadeff, a 14-year-old killed in the Parkland High School shooting last year. She and her family lived in Bergen County until a few years ago.
“This is simply about making schools safer and saving lives,” said Assemblyman Anthony M. Bucco (R-Morris). “With the push of a button, teachers or administrators can immediately report an incident to law enforcement.”
The alarm, which would not be audible within the school building, must be directly linked to local law enforcement and immediately transmit a signal or message to the authorities upon activation.
“The amount of time it takes to report and respond to an emergency can mean the difference between life and death,” continued Bucco. “The sooner police are notified, the quicker they can respond.”
