Bill Text: MS SB2498 | 2026 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Alyssa's Law; enact to require public schools to implement a panic alert system making use of wearable panic alert devices.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)

Status: (Failed) 2026-02-03 - Died In Committee [SB2498 Detail]

Download: Mississippi-2026-SB2498-Introduced.html

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MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2026 Regular Session

To: Education; Appropriations

By: Senator(s) Chassaniol

Senate Bill 2498

AN ACT TITLED "ALYSSA'S LAW"; TO REQUIRE EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND CHARTER SCHOOL TO IMPLEMENT A PANIC ALERT SYSTEM MAKING USE OF WEARABLE PANIC ALERT DEVICES, PROVIDED TO EACH STAFF MEMBER, ALLOWING FOR IMMEDIATE CONTACT WITH LOCAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE AGENCIES; TO REQUIRE THAT THE PANIC ALERT SYSTEM BE CAPABLE OF INITIATING A CAMPUS-WIDE LOCKDOWN NOTIFICATION; TO REQUIRE THAT ALL SCHOOL PERSONNEL RECEIVE TRAINING ON THE PROTOCOL AND APPROPRIATE USE OF THE PANIC ALERT DEVICE; TO REQUIRE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND CHARTER SCHOOLS TO ENSURE THAT ALL SECURITY DATA WITHIN A SCHOOL BUILDING ARE ACCESSIBLE BY A LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY, AND TO COORDINATE WITH A LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY TO ESTABLISH APPROPRIATE ACCESS PROTOCOLS; TO DECLARE CERTAIN SCHOOL AND AGENCY SAFETY AND SECURITY RECORDS AND INFORMATION TO BE CONFIDENTIAL AND EXEMPT FROM THE MISSISSIPPI PUBLIC RECORDS ACT OF 1983; TO PROVIDE FOR CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS ALLOWING FOR DISCLOSURE OF SUCH CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION; TO REQUIRE THAT EMERGENCY RESPONSE MAPPING BE MADE AVAILABLE BY THE ALYSSA'S LAW PANIC BUTTON PROVIDER AT NO COST TO LOCAL FIRST RESPONDER AGENCIES, IN AN ELECTRONIC OR DIGITAL FORMAT, TO ASSIST FIRST RESPONDERS IN RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES AT SCHOOLS; TO AUTHORIZE THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO ADOPT RULES TO IMPLEMENT THIS ACT AS NECESSARY TO PROTECT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS; TO PROVIDE THAT THIS ACT SHALL BE ENFORCED BEGINNING WITH THE 2027-2028 SCHOOL YEAR; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

     BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

     SECTION 1.  (1)  This section shall be known and may be cited as "Alyssa's Law."

     (2)  Every school district and charter school shall implement a wearable panic alert system at each school facility capable of integrating with local public safety answering point infrastructure to transmit 911 calls and mobile activations.

     (3)  Every school district and charter school shall provide each staff person with a wearable panic alert device throughout each school facility that allows for immediate contact with local emergency response agencies.

     (4)  The wearable panic alert system must be:

          (a)  Capable of initiating a multisensory campus-wide lockdown notification with audible and visual cues, including the following requirements:

               (i)  An intercom takeover must provide campus-wide, automatic, customizable, audible notifications that map to the standard response protocols (ILUG);

              (ii)  Visual emergency strobes must be provided for emergency notification:

                   1.  Strobe colors must map to the standard response protocols or equivalent;

                   2.  Strobes must be placed in every room, at least every seventy-five (75) feet in the hallways, and at every ingress or egress point; and

                   3.  Strobes must not contain written text as an alternative to color;

          (b)  Independent of Wi-Fi or cellular services to operate; and

          (c)  Able to be activated from anywhere on campus, indoors or outdoors, to the perimeter of the entire property.

     (5)  Every school district and charter school shall ensure, before the school year begins, that all school building personnel receive training on the protocol and appropriate use of the panic alert device described in subsection (2) of this section.

     (6)  Every school district and charter school shall:

          (a)  Ensure all security data (cameras, maps, access control) within a school building are accessible by a local law enforcement agency; and

          (b)  Coordinate with a local law enforcement agency to establish appropriate access protocols.

     (7)  Any records, information, photographs, audio and visual presentations, schematic diagrams, surveys, recommendations, or consultations, or portions thereof, relating directly to the physical security or fire safety of the school facility or revealing security or fire safety systems held by an agency is confidential and exempt from the Mississippi Public Records Act of 1983.

     (8)  Information made confidential and exempt by this paragraph may be disclosed:

          (a)  To the property owner or leaseholder;

          (b)  In furtherance of the official duties and responsibilities of the agency holding the information;

          (c)  To another local, state, or federal agency in furtherance of that agency's official duties and responsibilities; or

          (d)  Upon a showing of good cause before a court of competent jurisdiction.

     (9)  Every school district and charter school shall ensure, before the school year begins, that emergency response mapping is made available by the Alyssa's Law panic button provider at no cost to local first responder agencies, in an electronic or digital format, to assist first responders in responding to emergencies at schools.  Emergency response maps shall:

          (a)  Be compatible with security software platforms in use by the specific school for which the data is provided without requiring the local law enforcement agencies, school districts, or charter schools to purchase additional software or requiring the integration of third-party software to view the data;

          (b)  Be oriented true north;

          (c)  Be overlaid on school floor plans;

          (d)  Contain site-specific labeling that matches the structure of school buildings, including room labels, hallway names, external door or stairwell numbers, locations of critical utility feeds and emergency equipment such as automated external defibrillators (AEDs), trauma kits, and NARCAN kits;

          (e)  Have data with the ability to provide real-time updates by building owners with role-based logins to the emergency response maps, where changes are automatically disseminated to emergency responders and 911 mapping applications using existing data standards in order to ensure the most up-to-date information.  Updates should include changes to the physical structure, such as walls, doors, and mobile classrooms, along with changes to the asset tags; and

          (f)  Ownership of emergency response mapping data shall be retained by the school district or charter school, with full rights to copy, display, distribute, transmit, and adapt for all lawful purposes, including sharing with government or private entities that are providing or supporting emergency services.

     (10)  The State Board of Education may adopt rules to implement this section as necessary to protect the health and safety of students and educators.

     (11)  It is the intent of the Legislature that this section be funded by appropriation from the State General Fund.

     (12)  This section shall be enforced beginning with the 2027-2028 school year.

     SECTION 2.  This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2026.