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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1975 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 623
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Michael P. Kushmerek and Edward R. Philips
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act relative to equipping public elementary and secondary schools with panic alarms or
emergency mechanisms.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Michael P. Kushmerek3rd Worcester1/15/2025Edward R. Philips8th Norfolk1/15/2025Marcus S. Vaughn9th Norfolk3/10/2025 1 of 3
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1975 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 623
By Representatives Kushmerek of Fitchburg and Philips of Sharon, a petition (accompanied by
bill, House, No. 623) of Michael P. Kushmerek, Edward R. Philips and Marcus S. Vaughn
relative to equipping public elementary and secondary schools with panic alarms or emergency
mechanisms. Education.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act relative to equipping public elementary and secondary schools with panic alarms or
emergency mechanisms.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 Chapter 71 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding after section 97 the
2following section:-
3 Section 98. Equipping public elementary and secondary schools with panic alarms or
4emergency mechanisms
5 Section 1. (a) For the purpose of this section “panic alarm” shall mean a silent security
6system signal generated by the manual activation of a device intended to signal a life-threatening
7or emergency situation requiring a response from law enforcement.
8 (b) Except as otherwise provided pursuant to subsection e. of this section, each public
9elementary and secondary school building shall be equipped with at least one panic alarm for use
10in a school security emergency including, but not limited to, a non-fire evacuation, lockdown, or 2 of 3
11active shooter situation. The alarm shall be directly linked to local law enforcement authorities
12or, in the case of a school building located in a municipality in which there is no municipal
13police department, a location designated by the Superintendent of State Police, and shall
14immediately transmit a signal or message to such authorities upon activation. The alarm shall not
15be audible within the school building.
16 (c) Each panic alarm required under this section shall adhere to nationally recognized
17industry standards, including the standards of the National Fire Protection Association and
18Underwriters Laboratories.
19 (d) Each panic alarm required under this section shall be installed solely by a person
20licensed to engage in the alarm business under sections 57, 58, and 59 chapter 147 of the general
21laws.
22 (e) A school district may equip its elementary and secondary school buildings with an
23emergency mechanism that is an alternative to a panic alarm if the mechanism is approved by the
24Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
25 (f) A school district that is in the process of building a school may be required to install a
26panic alarm system.
27 Section 2. Funding of panic alarms or emergency mechanisms.
28 The Massachusetts School Building Authority shall be responsible for funding the full
29cost of the panic alarms required in public elementary and secondary school buildings in any
30district pursuant to section 1 of section 98 or alternative emergency mechanisms approved by the
31department pursuant to that section. A school district that, prior to the effective date of this act, 3 of 3
32installed a panic alarm or alternative emergency mechanism approved by the department may
33receive reimbursement for those costs.
34 Section 3. Rules, regulations.
35 The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education shall promulgate rules and
36regulations to establish a program to effectuate the purposes of this act.