Legislation Honors Bergen Native On Parkland Shooting Anniversary

WOODCLIFF LAKE, NJ — Rep. Josh Gottheimer at times fought back tears as he introduced federal legislation which would honor a Woodcliff Lake native who died in the 2018 Parkland school shooting.

Gottheimer was joined on Zoom by Lori and Ilan Alhadeff, former residents of Woodcliff Lake, whose daughter Alyssa died in the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. The three-year anniversary of that shooting, which killed 17 people, is Sunday.

Together, the trio and other area officials announced a proposal that would aim to make schools safer by installing silent panic alarms to be used in the event of an active shooter situation at all American public schools.

"We are here today to honor Alyssa and turn her memory, and the pain her family and friends carry every day, into action. We are here to announce bipartisan legislation — the ALYSSA Act — to help protect children, like Alyssa, and all students, in the one public place they should feel safest: their schools," said Gottheimer (NJ-5).

The federal legislation — Alyssa’s Legacy Youth in School Safety Alert Act — will be familiar to New Jersey residents as it borrows from the state's "Alyssa's Law." Read more: Murphy Signs 'Alyssa's Law,' Named After Murdered Ex-Bergen Girl

These silent alarms are a "low-cost solution" — about $1,000 per school — to address mass shootings. Gottheimer said the law is an example that "common sense solutions are possible."

There are more than 98,000 public schools in the United States and, under the legislation, all that receive federal funding under Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) will be required to install silent alarms, according to Gottheimer's office.

Those schools would also receive an investment into the training and hiring of school resource officers, if the legislation is passed as is, Gottheimer said.

"In a life threatening emergency situation, seconds count. The ALYSSA Act will save lives by empowering our teachers to push a button that is directly linked to law enforcement. The ALYSSA Act needs to be an equitable, standard level of school safety protection in every school around the country," said Lori Alhadeff

The Alhadeffs, who also cofounded the organization Make Our Schools Safe, said even though the coronavirus pandemic has seemingly put a pause on school shootings, officials shouldn't wait to consider the legislation.

"I never got to say goodbye to my Alyssa," said Ilan Alhadeff. "This shouldn’t be what happens, and it shouldn’t happen to another parent."

"We need to do something now, and not wait for the pandemic to end for this to happen again," he added.