WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

LD 808

An Act To Require School Boards And Governing Bodies Of Approved Private Schools To Implement Wearable Panic Alert Systems

132nd Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Jan Dodge and 7 co-sponsors

Requiring every school building to deploy wearable panic alert systems that connect to PSAPs to transmit 9-1-1 calls and trigger campus lockdowns.

Pursuant to Joint Rule 310.3 Placed in Legislative Files (DEAD)
#panicalertsystem #safety #schoolpolicies
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · LD 808

Summary of LD 808: An Act To Require School Boards And Governing Bodies Of Approved Private Schools To Implement Wearable Panic Alert Systems

Status

  • Dead (Pursuant to Joint Rule 310.3; placed in legislative files)

Purpose

  • To require school boards and governing bodies of approved private schools to implement wearable panic alert systems in each school building. The systems must integrate with local public safety answering point (PSAP) infrastructure to transmit 9-1-1 calls and trigger campus-wide lockdown notifications.

Key Provisions

  1. Implementation timeline

    • Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, each school building must deploy wearable panic alert systems capable of integrating with PSAP infrastructure to:
      • Transmit a 9-1-1 call, and
      • Initiate a campus-wide lockdown notification.

  2. Staff training

    • Each staff member in a school building must receive training on the protocol for and appropriate use of the wearable panic alert system prior to the first day of each school year.

  3. Data accessibility

    • All security data within a school building must be accessible by a local law enforcement agency.

Affected Parties

  • Primary: School boards and governing bodies of approved private schools (public and private K-12 environments within Maine).
  • Secondary: School staff who would use the devices, local law enforcement, and PSAPs that would receive 9-1-1 transmissions.

Fiscal Impact and Mandate Considerations

  • The bill creates a potential state mandate with significant local costs. The preliminary fiscal note describes:
    • Local costs: Significant statewide.
    • The mandate could require General Fund appropriations to cover at least 90% of added local costs, or a Mandate Preamble with a two-thirds vote to exempt the mandate from funding. If neither action occurs, local units would not be required to implement the mandated activities.
  • The note states the mandate could be unfunded at the state level but would impose costs on localities.

Procedural History and Timeline

  • Introduced: February 27, 2025
  • Referred to: Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs
  • Carried over: March 21, 2025, to the next special or regular session (pursuant to Joint Order SP 519)
  • Work session: May 9, 2025
  • Votes: May 9, 2025 (ONTP); May 12, 2025 (Reported OUT - ONTP)
  • Final action: May 14, 2025 (Placed in Legislative Files as DEAD)

Notes for Context

  • The bill focuses on integrating wearable panic alert devices with emergency communications and law enforcement systems, emphasizing annual training and data accessibility for safety purposes.
  • As introduced, the bill targets both public and approved private school settings in Maine.
  • Given its dead status, the provisions would not be enacted unless reintroduced and enacted in the future.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.