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SB2498 • 2026

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

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.

Education
Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor
Chassaniol
Last action
2026-02-03
Official status
Dead
Effective date
July 1, 20

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass, so there are uncertainties regarding its implementation and funding.

Alyssa's Law

This law requires public schools to implement a panic alert system using wearable devices for staff members and coordinate with local emergency responders.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires every school district and charter school to have a panic alert system using wearable devices provided to each staff member, allowing immediate contact with local emergency response agencies.
  • Ensures the panic alert system can initiate a campus-wide lockdown notification with audio and visual cues.
  • Requires all school personnel to receive training on the protocol and appropriate use of the panic alert device.
  • Makes sure security data within school buildings are accessible by local law enforcement for emergencies.
  • Declares certain safety and security records confidential, exempt from public record requests, but allows exceptions for specific disclosures.

Who It Names or Affects

  • All public school districts and charter schools in Mississippi.
  • Local emergency response agencies such as police and fire departments.
  • School staff members who will receive wearable panic alert devices.

Terms To Know

Panic Alert System
A system that allows school staff to quickly contact local emergency services in case of an urgent situation.
Confidential Information
Information about the physical security and fire safety systems of schools that is kept private from public records requests, but can be disclosed under certain conditions.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass during its session.
  • It was planned to start in the 2027-2028 school year, but this did not happen as it did not become law.
  • Details about funding and implementation rules are left to future decisions.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-03 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/03 (S) Died In Committee

  2. 2026-01-19 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    01/19 (S) Referred To Education;Appropriations

Official Summary Text

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

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
S. B. No. 2498 *SS36/R1220* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/SS36/R1220
PAGE 1 (icj\kr)

To: Education;
Appropriations
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Senator(s) Chassaniol

SENATE BILL NO. 2498

AN ACT TITLED "ALYSSA'S LAW"; TO REQUIRE EVERY SCHOOL 1
DISTRICT AND CHARTER SCHOOL TO IMPLEMENT A PANIC ALERT SYSTEM 2
MAKING USE OF WEARABLE PANIC ALERT DEVICES, PROVIDED TO EACH STAFF 3
MEMBER, ALLOWING FOR IMMEDIATE CONTACT WITH LOCAL EMERGENCY 4
RESPONSE AGENCIES; TO REQUIRE THAT THE PANIC ALERT SYSTEM BE 5
CAPABLE OF INITIATING A CAMPUS-WIDE LOCKDOWN NOTIFICATION; TO 6
REQUIRE THAT ALL SCHOOL PERSONNEL RECEIVE TRAINING ON THE PROTOCOL 7
AND APPROPRIATE USE OF THE PANIC ALERT DEVICE; TO REQUIRE SCHOOL 8
DISTRICTS AND CHARTER SCHOOLS TO ENSURE THAT ALL SECURITY DATA 9
WITHIN A SCHOOL BUILDING ARE ACCESSIBLE BY A LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT 10
AGENCY, AND TO COORDINATE WITH A LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY TO 11
ESTABLISH APPROPRIATE ACCESS PROTOCOLS; TO DECLARE CERTAIN SCHOOL 12
AND AGENCY SAFETY AND SECURITY RECORDS AND INFORMATION TO BE 13
CONFIDENTIAL AND EXEMPT FROM THE MISSISSIPPI PUBLIC RECORDS ACT OF 14
1983; TO PROVIDE FOR CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS ALLOWING FOR DISCLOSURE OF 15
SUCH CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION; TO REQUIRE THAT EMERGENCY RESPONSE 16
MAPPING BE MADE AVAILABLE BY THE ALYSSA'S LAW PANIC BUTTON 17
PROVIDER AT NO COST TO LOCAL FIRST RESPONDER AGENCIES, IN AN 18
ELECTRONIC OR DIGITAL FORMAT, TO ASSIST FIRST RESPONDERS IN 19
RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES AT SCHOOLS; TO AUTHORIZE THE STATE BOARD 20
OF EDUCATION TO ADOPT RULES TO IMPLEMENT THIS ACT AS NECESSARY TO 21
PROTECT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS; TO 22
PROVIDE THAT THIS ACT SHALL BE ENFORCED BEGINNING WITH THE 23
2027-2028 SCHOOL YEAR; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 24
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 25
SECTION 1. (1) This section shall be known and may be cited 26
as "Alyssa's Law." 27
(2) Every school district and charter school shall implement 28
a wearable panic alert system at each school facility capable of 29
S. B. No. 2498 *SS36/R1220* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS36/R1220
PAGE 2 (icj\kr)

integrating with local public safety answering point 30
infrastructure to transmit 911 calls and mobile activations. 31
(3) Every school district and charter school shall provide 32
each staff person with a wearable panic alert device throughout 33
each school facility that allows for immediate contact with local 34
emergency response agencies. 35
(4) The wearable panic alert system must be: 36
(a) Capable of initiating a multisensory campus-wide 37
lockdown notification with audible and visual cues, including the 38
following requirements: 39
(i) An intercom takeover must provide campus-wide, 40
automatic, customizable, audible notifications that map to the 41
standard response protocols (ILUG); 42
(ii) Visual emergency strobes must be provided for 43
emergency notification: 44
1. Strobe colors must map to the standard 45
response protocols or equivalent; 46
2. Strobes must be placed in every room, at 47
least every seventy-five (75) feet in the hallways, and at every 48
ingress or egress point; and 49
3. Strobes must not contain written text as 50
an alternative to color; 51
(b) Independent of Wi-Fi or cellular services to 52
operate; and 53
S. B. No. 2498 *SS36/R1220* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS36/R1220
PAGE 3 (icj\kr)

(c) Able to be activated from anywhere on campus, 54
indoors or outdoors, to the perimeter of the entire property. 55
(5) Every school district and charter school shall ensure, 56
before the school year begins, that all school building personnel 57
receive training on the protocol and appropriate use of the panic 58
alert device described in subsection (2) of this section. 59
(6) Every school district and charter school shall: 60
(a) Ensure all security data (cameras, maps, access 61
control) within a school building are accessible by a local law 62
enforcement agency; and 63
(b) Coordinate with a local law enforcement agency to 64
establish appropriate access protocols. 65
(7) Any records, information, photographs, audio and visual 66
presentations, schematic diagrams, surveys, recommendations, or 67
consultations, or portions thereof, relating directly to the 68
physical security or fire safety of the school facility or 69
revealing security or fire safety systems held by an agency is 70
confidential and exempt from the Mississippi Public Records Act of 71
1983. 72
(8) Information made confidential and exempt by this 73
paragraph may be disclosed: 74
(a) To the property owner or leaseholder; 75
(b) In furtherance of the official duties and 76
responsibilities of the agency holding the information; 77
S. B. No. 2498 *SS36/R1220* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS36/R1220
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(c) To another local, state, or federal agency in 78
furtherance of that agency's official duties and responsibilities; 79
or 80
(d) Upon a showing of good cause before a court of 81
competent jurisdiction. 82
(9) Every school district and charter school shall ensure, 83
before the school year begins, that emergency response mapping is 84
made available by the Alyssa's Law panic button provider at no 85
cost to local first responder agencies, in an electronic or 86
digital format, to assist first responders in responding to 87
emergencies at schools. Emergency response maps shall: 88
(a) Be compatible with security software platforms in 89
use by the specific school for which the data is provided without 90
requiring the local law enforcement agencies, school districts, or 91
charter schools to purchase additional software or requiring the 92
integration of third-party software to view the data; 93
(b) Be oriented true north; 94
(c) Be overlaid on school floor plans; 95
(d) Contain site-specific labeling that matches the 96
structure of school buildings, including room labels, hallway 97
names, external door or stairwell numbers, locations of critical 98
utility feeds and emergency equipment such as automated external 99
defibrillators (AEDs), trauma kits, and NARCAN kits; 100
(e) Have data with the ability to provide real-time 101
updates by building owners with role-based logins to the emergency 102
S. B. No. 2498 *SS36/R1220* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS36/R1220
PAGE 5 (icj\kr)
ST: Alyssa's Law; enact to require public
schools to implement a panic alert system making
use of wearable panic alert devices.
response maps, where changes are automatically disseminated to 103
emergency responders and 911 mapping applications using existing 104
data standards in order to ensure the most up-to-date information. 105
Updates should include changes to the physical structure, such as 106
walls, doors, and mobile classrooms, along with changes to the 107
asset tags; and 108
(f) Ownership of emergency response mapping data shall 109
be retained by the school district or charter school, with full 110
rights to copy, display, distribute, transmit, and adapt for all 111
lawful purposes, including sharing with government or private 112
entities that are providing or supporting emergency services. 113
(10) The State Board of Education may adopt rules to 114
implement this section as necessary to protect the health and 115
safety of students and educators. 116
(11) It is the intent of the Legislature that this section 117
be funded by appropriation from the State General Fund. 118
(12) This section shall be enforced beginning with the 119
2027-2028 school year. 120
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 121
and after July 1, 2026. 122