A764 4R

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman RALPH R. CAPUTO

District 28 (Essex)

Assemblywoman CLEOPATRA G. TUCKER

District 28 (Essex)

Assemblywoman ANNETTE QUIJANO

District 20 (Union)

Assemblywoman VALERIE VAINIERI HUTTLE

District 37 (Bergen)

Assemblywoman SHAVONDA E. SUMTER

District 35 (Bergen and Passaic)

Assemblywoman ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT

District 31 (Hudson)

Assemblyman HERB CONAWAY, JR.

District 7 (Burlington)

Assemblyman ERIC HOUGHTALING

District 11 (Monmouth)

Senator RONALD L. RICE

District 28 (Essex)

Senator M. TERESA RUIZ

District 29 (Essex)

Assemblyman ANTHONY M. BUCCO

District 25 (Morris and Somerset)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblymen Benson, Johnson, Assemblywoman Jasey, Assemblyman Giblin, Assemblywoman Lampitt, Assemblymen Eustace, Burzichelli, DeAngelo, Assemblywoman Jimenez, Assemblyman Holley, Assemblywoman Pinkin, Assemblymen Schaer, Chiaravalloti, Assemblywoman Murphy, Assemblyman Armato, Assemblywomen Mosquera, Timberlake, Assemblymen Mazzeo, Mukherji, Space, Gusciora, Assemblywomen Downey, Schepisi, Assemblyman Wirths, Senators Diegnan, Stack, Turner, Madden and Assemblyman Verrelli

SYNOPSIS

“Alyssa’s Law”; requires public school buildings to be equipped with panic alarm linked to local law enforcement.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

As amended on August 27, 2018 by the General Assembly pursuant to the Governor's recommendations.

An Act concerning school security alarms and supplementing chapter 41 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

¹1. This act shall be known and may be cited as “Alyssa’s Law.”¹

¹[1.] 2.¹ a. As used in this section:

³[“Emergency light” means a red light that is affixed to the exterior of a school building in a highly visible location above or near the front entrance or, in the case of a school building which is not clearly visible from the nearest public roadway, located on that public roadway.]³

“Panic alarm” means a silent security system signal generated by the manual activation of a device intended to signal a life-threatening or emergency situation requiring a response from law enforcement.

b. ³[Each] Except as otherwise provided pursuant to subsection e. of this section, each³ public elementary and secondary school building shall be equipped with at least one panic alarm for use in a school security emergency including, but not limited to, a non-fire evacuation, lockdown, or active shooter situation. The alarm shall be directly linked to local law enforcement authorities or, in the case of a school building located in a municipality in which there is no municipal police department, a location designated by the Superintendent of State Police, and shall immediately transmit a signal or message to such authorities upon activation. The alarm shall not be audible within the school building.

c. ³[Each public elementary and secondary school building shall be equipped with an emergency light that is linked to the school’s panic alarm and which turns on when the panic alarm is activated.

²d.]³ Each panic alarm ³[and emergency light system]³ required under this section shall adhere to nationally recognized industry standards, including the standards of the National Fire Protection Association and Underwriters Laboratories.

³[e.] d.³ Each panic alarm ³[and emergency light system]³ required under this section shall be installed solely by a person licensed to engage in the alarm business in accordance with the provisions of section 7 of P.L.1997, c.305 (C.45:5A-27).²

³e. A school district may equip its elementary and secondary school buildings with an emergency mechanism that is an alternative to a panic alarm if the mechanism is approved by the Department of Education.³

¹[2.] 3.¹ ⁴[Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection a. of section 14 of P.L.2000, c.72 (C.18A:7G-14) to the contrary, the proceeds of bonds authorized to be issued to fund the State share of the costs of SDA district school facilities projects or the State share of the costs of school facilities projects in all other districts, including county vocational school districts,] A portion of the proceeds of bonds authorized to be issued to fund school security, upon voter approval of P.L.2018, c.119,⁴ shall be used to fund the full cost of the panic alarms ³[and emergency lights]³ required in public elementary and secondary school buildings in any district pursuant to section ³[1] 2³ of this act ³or alternative emergency mechanisms approved by the department pursuant to that section. A school district that, prior to the effective date of this act, installed a panic alarm or alternative emergency mechanism approved by the department may receive reimbursement for those costs³.

4. ⁴The New Jersey Schools Development Authority shall adopt, immediately upon filing with the Office of Administrative Law, rules and regulations pursuant to the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), to establish a program to effectuate the purposes of this act, which regulations shall be effective for a period not to exceed six months and may thereafter be amended, adopted or readopted by the Schools Development Authority in accordance with the requirements of P.L.1968, c.410.⁴

¹[3.] ⁴[4.¹] 5.⁴ This act shall take effect on the first day of the tenth month ⁴[after enactment] following voter approval of P.L.2018, c.119⁴.