Utah Alyssa’s Law’s Overview
House Bill (HB) 84 aka Alyssa’s Law was signed into law by Utah Governor Spencer Cox on March 12, 2024. Alyssa’s Law, named after Alyssa Alhadeff, a victim of the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School tragedy, requires schools to have silent panic alert systems linked directly to first responders and law enforcement agencies. Already passed into law in Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington, Alyssa’s Law has quickly gained traction around the country.
What Utah Schools Need to Know to Comply
HB 84, Section 53G-8-805, has been amended by HB 40, which took effect May 7, 2025. The amendments require Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to provide the lead teacher in each classroom with a wearable panic alert device that shall communicate directly with public safety answering points (PSAPs). LEAs must ensure that before the school year begins, all school building personnel receive training on the protocol and appropriate use of the panic alert device.
How Raptor Solutions Align with Utah Alyssa’s Law Requirements
Raptor provides multiple alerting methods to enable staff to silently and more easily expedite the call for help during emergencies, ensuring compliance with Alyssa’s Law requirements in Utah. Designed to work under duress, Raptor Alert and Raptor Badge Alert provide a silent panic alert system for school staff. The system:
- enables users to initiate an alert via a wearable badge, the Raptor Alert mobile panic app, or any web-enabled device including cellular, Wi-Fi, and hard-wired connections throughout the campus.
- is compatible with all standard Public Safety Answering Points and emergency calling infrastructure, and is RapidSOS Ready, accelerating the transfer of critical emergency alert data to 911 and with first responders during emergencies.
The Raptor Compliance and Success Program (CSP) aids schools in cultivating a culture of safety by offering comprehensive implementation, training, and support for all Raptor products, including Raptor’s alerting technology.
Grants Supporting Utah Wearable Panic Alert Device Implementation
The FY25 COPS SVPP grant program provides $73M to school boards and districts nationwide and includes “technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency” as an allowable expense. Additionally, schools who were awarded funds from FY24 federal grant programs such as COPS SVPP, BJA STOP, and the State Homeland Security Grant Program (SHSP) have until 2027 to spend their awarded funds.
At the state-level, schools who were awarded funding from Utah’s FY25 School Safety and Support Grant may use their funds to purchase wearable panic alert devices to ensure compliance with Alyssa’s Law.
Want to learn more about how Raptor can help your district or school comply with Alyssa’s Law? Schedule a demo.
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