HARRISBURG, Pa.- A committee hearing took place in Harrisburg today to discuss putting panic buttons in classrooms across Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n
A Berks County lawmaker introduced the bill, also known as Alyssa’s Law, hoping to gain support to make students, faculty and schools in the Commonwealth safer.<\/p>\n
Alyssa’s Law has already been implemented in a number of states. Berks County Rep. Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz, who introduced it in Pennsylvania, says this is the second time she took it before a committee and hopes to get a better response.<\/p>\n
“We want to be more proactive and learn from unfortunate tragedies that have happened in other states,” said Cepeda-Freytiz.<\/p>\n
She introduced House Bill 634, or Alyssa’s Law, before the House Communications and Technology Committee on Monday.<\/p>\n
Alyssa’s Law is named for a 14-year-old girl who was killed in a school shooting in Parkland, Florida in 2018. Her mother, Lori, was one of those who testified in favor of adding panic alarms in classrooms.<\/p>\n
“Emergency response is so vitally important in these emergency situations, and we know that seconds really matter, and we need to get help there faster,” said Lori Alhadeff.<\/p>\n
The committee heard testimony from a number of experts in education, law enforcement, and safety.<\/p>\n
“Panic alarms have been funded through the school safety and mental health grant program, and they are an allowable expense for entities that meet the baseline criteria requirements,” said Heather Masshardt with the PA Commission on Crime and Delinquency.<\/p>\n
“There’s so many personal and environmental factors to this,” said Crawford Gingrich, director of school safety for PennSSI. “It is not a one-size-fits-all approach.”<\/p>\n
Law enforcement officials testified, saying in an emergency situation, seconds count and can saves lives.<\/p>\n
“Our association, all the municipal police departments across the state, are in support of Alyssa’s Law,” said Scott Bohn, executive director of the PA Chiefs of Police Association.<\/p>\n
Cepeda-Freytiz says the final decision to implement these measures would be up to the schools.<\/p>\n
“I don’t like to have mandates that may not necessarily be funded,” said Cepeda-Freytiz. “Now there will be some funding stream opportunities that schools can apply for, for school safety grants and things of the sort.”<\/p>\n
A number of schools across Pennsylvania already have panic alarms in school offices and other locations.<\/p>\n
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