More than four months after the first mass school shooting in Georgia history at Barrow County's Apalachee High School, a bill requiring alert technology used during the attack is making a return appearance in state legislature.
State Senate Bill 17, titled "Ricky and Alyssa's Law," would require local school systems to install a mobile panic alert system capable of contacting nearby authorities in the case of a school security or severe medical incident. A similar alert system was reportedly used by teachers during the Apalachee shooting, which shortened the response time for local law enforcement and emergency responders.
The bill is named for Richard (Ricky) Aspinwall, who was one of the teachers killed in the September 2024 shooting at Apalachee, and Alyssa Alhadeff, one of the victims in the 2018 shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida.
The bill was introduced in the 2024 legislative session by District 31 State Senator Jason Anivitarte (R-Dallas), but ultimately failed to pass. This year, in the wake of the shooting in Barrow County, he believes it has momentum.
"I think knowing the reason for this policy and technology, unfortunately, in a tragic incident, proves itself to work," Anivitarte said. "I hope the policymakers in the Senate and the House will move swiftly and get this done as quick as possible. I feel confident we will get it done."
The bill is co-sponsored by 28 other state senators, 26 Republicans and two Democrats. Among the sponsors are all three senators whose districts include parts of Barrow County, Clint Dixon (R-Buford), Bill Cowsert (R-Athens) and Frank Ginn (R-Danielsville.)
Ginn said he has been driven to increase school security in this legislative session in the aftermath of the shooting that happened just miles from his district's boundaries.
"Probably the biggest thing that you can do when a shooting like this starts to happen, is you get a law enforcement person there in front of that shooter, and you're saving lives instantaneously," Ginn said. "To me, this law will help in the treatment of how we respond and how we react (to school shootings.)"
The bill has been read in the Georgia State Senate and has been referred to the Senate Committee on Education and Youth.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2025/1/1282183/law-to-require-school-alert-system-re-introduced-in-georgia-legislature-after-apalachee-shooting