Bill Text: NY S05489 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Provides that each public elementary and secondary school building shall be equipped with at least one panic alarm for use in a school security emergency including, but not limited to, a non-fire evacuation, lockdown, or active shooter situation; defines terms; makes related provisions.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-03 - REFERRED TO EDUCATION [S05489 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-S05489-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          5489

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                    IN SENATE

                                      March 6, 2023
                                       ___________

        Introduced by Sens. JACKSON, HARCKHAM, SKOUFIS -- read twice and ordered
          printed,  and  when printed to be committed to the Committee on Educa-
          tion

        AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring panic  alarm
          systems in schools

          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as "Alyssa's Law".
     2    § 2. The education law is amended by adding a  new  section  409-n  to
     3  read as follows:
     4    § 409-n. Installation of panic alarm systems in schools. 1. As used in
     5  this section, "panic alarm system" means a silent security system signal
     6  generated  by  the  manual  activation  of a device intended to signal a
     7  life-threatening or emergency situation requiring a  response  from  law
     8  enforcement.  Such silent security system may include one or more of the
     9  following:    wired  panic  button  or buttons, wireless panic button or
    10  buttons or a mobile or computer application.
    11    2. Each public elementary  and  secondary  school  building  shall  be
    12  equipped with a panic alarm system for use in a school security emergen-
    13  cy  including,  but  not limited to, a non-fire evacuation, lockdown, or
    14  active shooter situation. The alarm shall be directly  linked  to  local
    15  law enforcement authorities or, in the case of a school building located
    16  in  a  municipality  in which there is no municipal police department, a
    17  location designated by the superintendent of  state  police,  and  shall
    18  immediately  transmit a signal or message to such authorities upon acti-
    19  vation. The alarm shall not be audible within the school building.
    20    3. Nothing in this section shall be  construed  to  require  a  school
    21  district  to  alter or install any components of a panic alarm system if
    22  such school district has a panic alarm system  activated  that  complies
    23  with the requirements of this section.

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD07506-01-3
        S. 5489                             2

     1    4.  Any  funds  expended  for  the purchase or installation of a panic
     2  alarm system  as required by this section shall be eligible for building
     3  aid reimbursement pursuant to subdivision six-c of section  three  thou-
     4  sand six hundred two of this chapter.
     5    §  3.  This  act shall take effect immediately; provided, however that
     6  within one year of the effective date of this act, all school  districts
     7  shall be in compliance with the provisions of this act.  Effective imme-
     8  diately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation
     9  necessary  for  the implementation of this act on its effective date are
    10  authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.