H.R.1524 - Alyssa’s Legacy Youth in Schools Safety Alert Act; ALYSSA Act (119th Congress)
Summary
H.R. 1524, also known as the ALYSSA Act, aims to enhance school safety by amending the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. The bill mandates that elementary and secondary schools install silent panic alarms that directly connect to law enforcement. This requirement is presented as a condition for local educational agencies to receive federal funding.
Expected Effects
The bill's passage would lead to the widespread installation of silent alarms in schools across the nation. This would provide a direct and immediate way to alert law enforcement during emergencies. Schools would need to allocate resources for the purchase, installation, and maintenance of these systems to remain eligible for federal funding.
Potential Benefits
- Provides a direct and immediate way to alert law enforcement during school emergencies.
- Could potentially reduce response times in active shooter or other life-threatening situations.
- May increase the sense of security and safety among students, parents, and school staff.
- Standardizes emergency response protocols across different school districts.
- Could lead to improved coordination between schools and local law enforcement agencies.
Potential Disadvantages
- Potential financial burden on local educational agencies to purchase, install, and maintain the alarm systems.
- Risk of false alarms, which could lead to unnecessary disruptions and strain on law enforcement resources.
- Concerns about the effectiveness of silent alarms in all types of emergency situations.
- Possible privacy concerns related to the data collected and stored by the alarm systems.
- May create a false sense of security if not coupled with other comprehensive safety measures.
Constitutional Alignment
The bill's alignment with the US Constitution is primarily related to the federal government's role in education and public safety. While the Constitution does not explicitly address education, the Tenth Amendment reserves powers not delegated to the federal government to the states, raising questions about the extent to which the federal government can mandate specific safety measures in schools. However, the bill leverages the Spending Clause (Article I, Section 8) by conditioning federal funding on compliance, which has generally been upheld by the Supreme Court.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).