EXPLAINER · STATE TRACKER
Alyssa’s Law by state
By Erik Endress, Founder, OnScene Technologies. Last reviewed: September 2026 — Alyssa’s Law moves fast. Always confirm the current status and specifics for your state.
A plain-English summary from the team that has built emergency communication systems since 2013 — not legal advice. Confirm specifics against the official sources linked on this page.
Alyssa’s Law is the name given to state laws that require — or, in some states, ask schools to consider — silent panic alarms that reach law enforcement directly, with a location. It passes one state at a time, and the laws are not all the same. Here’s where it stands, oldest to newest.
States that have passed Alyssa’s Law
As of September 2026, 13 states have enacted Alyssa’s Law, and Louisiana has an equivalent — 14 in all:
2019 — New Jersey (first in the nation). Required: at least one silent panic alarm per school building, directly linked to law enforcement, or a DOE-approved alternative. In force since 2020.
2020 — Florida. Required: a mobile panic alert system in every public and charter school, integrated with the local 911 center. In force since the 2021–22 school year; state-funded.
2022 — New York. Districts must consider a silent panic alarm system in their safety plans; no deadline.
2023 — Texas. Required: silent panic alert technology in every classroom, from the 2025–26 school year, funded through the school safety allotment.
2023 — Tennessee. Safety teams must consider a mobile panic alert system; no deadline.
2023 — Louisiana (enacted as the School Safety Act of 2023). Required: a panic emergency notification system in every public school board by April 1, 2024.
2024 — Utah. Required: a wearable panic alert device for the lead teacher in every classroom, communicating directly with 911 — the one state whose statute specifies a wearable. Devices expected for 2026–27; state-funded.
2024 — Oklahoma. Required: a mobile panic alert system in every district, from the 2024–25 school year; state-funded, with an approved supplier list.
2025 — Georgia (enacted as “Ricky and Alyssa’s Law”, HB 268). Required: a mobile panic alert system in every public school, integrated with 911 and school mapping, by July 1, 2026; $50 million in state grants.
2025 — Washington. Districts must develop an emergency response system with law enforcement and 911; panic buttons are one listed option. Grant-funded.
2025 — Oregon. Governing bodies must consider a wireless or wearable panic alarm system; no deadline; small grants.
2026 — Virginia. School boards may provide a wearable panic alarm system; permissive, effective July 1, 2026; no funding.
2026 — West Virginia. County boards may provide each employee a wearable panic alert device; permissive; sunsets in 2029.
2026 — Illinois (signed August 7, 2026; effective January 1, 2027). Districts and private schools must consider a mobile panic alert system by the 2028–29 school year.
The wording matters. Seven of these are true mandates with deadlines (New Jersey, Florida, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Georgia and Utah); four only require schools to consider a system (New York, Tennessee, Oregon and Illinois); two merely permit school boards to provide one (Virginia and West Virginia); and Washington offers a menu. In every enacted state except Utah, a phone-based system qualifies — Utah requires a wearable device. Confirm the specifics for your state before acting.
Georgia: “Ricky and Alyssa’s Law”
Georgia’s 2025 law (House Bill 268) is named for Coach Richard “Ricky” Aspinwall and Alyssa Alhadeff. It goes beyond panic alarms: alongside a mobile panic alert system linked to 911, it requires school mapping data and behavioral threat-assessment teams. The statute says “mobile panic alert system” — it does not require a wearable, despite how it was reported. The compliance deadline was July 1, 2026.
States with bills pending
Beyond those that have passed, these states have introduced or are advancing Alyssa’s Law bills. Pending legislation moves week to week — confirm your state’s current status with the official tracker below.
Active in 2026: South Carolina (H.3258 — passed the House, in the Senate; would require a mobile panic alert system by July 2028), Ohio (SB 105 — wearable devices for all staff, in Senate Finance), Minnesota (HF 4571 — wearable, introduced March 2026) and Pennsylvania (SB 541 — in the Senate). Bills in Kentucky, Missouri, Arkansas and Alabama died in their 2025–26 sessions and may be refiled. Arizona, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi and Nebraska have seen bills introduced in recent sessions; check the tracker for current status.
Is there a federal Alyssa’s Law?
Not yet. Two bills sit in committee. The ALYSSA Act (H.R. 1524) would tie federal education funding to having at least one silent panic alarm in every public school; the Alyssa’s Act of 2025 (H.R. 6809) would fund federal research and a clearinghouse rather than set a mandate. Neither has advanced beyond introduction. For now, requirements are set state by state.
Confirm your state
This page is a starting point, not the authority — your state is. Requirements, deadlines, funding, and even whether a bill has become law can change quickly. Check the campaign’s official tracker and your state’s Department of Education before you rely on anything here.
Where Share911 fits
Whatever your state requires, the core idea is the same: a silent alert, straight to law enforcement, with a location. That’s the floor — and Share911 does exactly that from the phones your staff already carry, which qualifies in every enacted state except Utah. It also goes further, getting the alert and live updates to everyone on campus at the same moment and collecting a check-in from each of them, so staff aren’t waiting to find out what’s happening. It supports your emergency response; it doesn’t replace it.
Common questions
How many states have passed Alyssa’s Law?
As of September 2026, 13 states have enacted it — 14 counting Louisiana’s equivalent — beginning with New Jersey in 2019 and most recently Illinois, signed in August 2026 and effective January 2027. Bills are active in South Carolina, Ohio, Minnesota and Pennsylvania.
Which state passed Alyssa’s Law first?
New Jersey, in 2019. It was named for Alyssa Alhadeff, a 14-year-old killed in the 2018 Parkland shooting.
What is “Ricky and Alyssa’s Law”?
It’s Georgia’s 2025 version (House Bill 268), which pairs Alyssa’s Law panic alerts with school mapping and threat-assessment requirements. It’s named for Coach Richard Aspinwall and Alyssa Alhadeff.
When does Alyssa’s Law take effect in my state?
It depends on the state. The mandates are already in force in New Jersey (since 2020), Florida (since 2021–22), Louisiana (April 2024), Oklahoma (2024–25), Texas (2025–26) and Georgia (July 1, 2026), with Utah’s wearable requirement expected for 2026–27. New York, Tennessee, Oregon and Illinois require consideration with no deadline, and Virginia and West Virginia are permissive. Check your state’s Department of Education and the official tracker.
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