I received an inquiry regarding where things stand on implementing Alyssa’s Law in New Jersey, so I checked in with Governor Murphy’s office for an update.
I’m told that everything is still on schedule for funding the panic alarms in NJ schools, as well as the other school safety measures that will be covered under the Securing Our Children’s Future Bond Act. Before that funding can be disbursed, as indicated in the bill, the Department of Education needs to draft and finalize the application process. That’s where things stand at the moment. At the same time, the DOE is also soliciting feedback from NJ school districts and security experts in order to determine how best to allocate the $350 million in funding. The process should be wrapping up in the next few months, as anticipated.
It’s important to note that Alyssa’s Law does allow for retroactive reimbursement for those school districts that have already purchased panic alarms, and/or those that will be making security upgrades prior to the funding applications being made available.
