House Bill 14 aims to create safer schools for Kentucky children

FRANKFORT, Ky. – A recent House Bill has been advanced in the Kentucky legislature aimed to protect children in schools.

House Bill 14, also known as Alyssa’s Law, recently advanced through a committee in the Kentucky Congress. HB14 would allow schools to take part in a program that would upgrade warning systems for incidents that may take place on school grounds.

The system would be discreet, located in the identity card of the school staff members. If a button is pressed a certain amount of times, it would immediately notify school authority figures for things like fights or medical emergencies.

If an intruder were to enter the school or something worse, that same button could also be used to alert local police and sheriff’s departments. One supporter of the bill says this device saves time saving lives.

“Seconds matter in these situations. That’s what we like about the panic alert button. It makes a difference in the time from the time the event happens to the time that some type of health or rescue can get there” said Kentucky state Rep. Kevin Jackson.

Jackson said this system has already been proven in other states, and a few school systems in Kentucky as well. The system would cost around $8,000 per school, which could possibly be split between the school and the state government.