Committee advances bill seeking to improving school safety March 11, 2026 Rep. Kevin Jackson, R-Bowling Green, speaks on House Bill 643 during Wednesday’s meeting of the House Primary and Secondary Education Committee. A high-res version is available here. FRANKFORT — Legislation seeking to improve school safety in Kentucky by introducing wearable panic alert technology for teachers and school staff advanced Wednesday from the House Primary and Secondary Education Committee. Rep. Kevin Jackson, R-Bowling Green, said this technology would allow teachers and staff members to instantly alert law enforcement and school administrators during emergency situations. “This is about public safety,” Jackson said. House Bill 643 is called Alyssa’s Law, named after Alyssa Alhadeff, a 14-year-old who was killed in the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida. Since their daughter’s death, Alyssa’s parents, Lori Alhadeff and Ilan Alhadeff, have advocated for improved school emergency response systems. They argue teachers need faster ways to notify law enforcement during a crisis. Jackson emphasized the technology is not meant to replace school resource officers. “This is in no way to take the place of school resource officers. We all know the human factor of school resource officers is one of the best factors of school safety.” Jackson said. “This would work in conjunction with them to make schools safer for our kids, our staff and our faculty.” Rep. Steve Bratcher, R-Elizabethtown, asked about the cost of implementing the program. “I noticed the bill says 50% will be matched by the Center for School Safety. Do they already have that in their budget,” Bratcher asked. Jackson said the funding model would require a shared investment between the state and school districts. “As funds are available, it would be a 50-50 match,” Jackson said. “Ideally we would put in $8–10 million, and the school systems that want to activate the program would match those funds.” Jackson spoke on the bill and the allocation of state funding. “Right now there are no funds,” he said. “Some states, such as West Virginia, have just passed similar legislation without state funding but created an account where industries and individuals can donate. Schools can then opt in and match funds.” Rep. James Tipton, R-Taylorsville, said the measure addresses a critical safety issue. “This is a very important bill. There is nothing more important than safety for children,” Tipton said. “I actually have one of these devices in my office.” Tipton questioned how many schools have already implemented this. Co-sponsor of the bill, Rep. Chad Aull, D-Lexington, said about 19 districts across Kentucky currently use the technology. Aull also spoke on the possible expansion of that number. “There’s about 19 across all of Kentucky, but that includes some private schools,” Aull said. “It’s about 14 or 15 public school systems, and we are aware of some districts that are going through the implementation process now.” The bill passed committee 16-0 and now moves to the full House for consideration. The post Committee advances bill seeking to improving school safety appeared first on The Lexington Times. ...read more read less