Michigan Senate Bill SB0076

Michigan 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/11/25
• Refer: 2/11/25

Caption

Education: school districts; mobile panic alert system in schools; require. Amends 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.1 - 380.1852) by adding sec. 1308c. TIE BAR WITH: SB 77'25

Summary

Senate Bill 76 would require public schools and nonpublic schools in Michigan to implement a mobile panic alert system beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, unless they already have a system that meets the bill’s standards and obtain an exemption. The required system must connect school staff, local and state law enforcement, and first responder agencies in real time, and it must integrate directly with local 9-1-1 public safety answering point infrastructure so that alerts can be transmitted through landline and mobile activations while maintaining two-way communication with schools. The bill directs the Department of Technology, Management, and Budget to use competitive procurement to obtain a statewide mobile panic alert system for schools, in consultation with the Department of Education and state police school safety and emergency management offices. Vendors would need to have deployed a statewide mobile panic button program and be certified under the federal SAFETY Act. Schools already using compliant systems could petition for an exemption, which the Department would evaluate with state police input. Schools that do not comply and do not receive an exemption could be made ineligible for state school safety grants for that fiscal year.

Impact

The bill would add a new section to the Revised School Code and create a statewide school emergency alert mandate tied to school safety funding. It would affect both public and nonpublic schools, the Department of Technology, Management, and Budget, the Department of Education, and the Department of State Police by establishing procurement, exemption review, and enforcement responsibilities. It also conditions compliance on access to school safety grants, giving the Department of State Police leverage to encourage adoption of the required alert system.

Sentiment

The available record shows no committee testimony, recorded votes, or other discussion, so there is no direct evidence of support or opposition in the materials provided. Based on the bill text and caption, the measure appears to be framed as a school safety and emergency response initiative, suggesting a policy goal of improving coordination during lockdowns, evacuations, and active-shooter incidents. The tie-bar to Senate Bill 77 indicates the proposal is part of a broader package.

Contention

The main points of potential contention are likely to be the mandate itself, the cost and administrative burden on schools, and the state’s role in selecting or approving a statewide vendor. Schools with existing panic alert systems may seek exemptions, so a likely issue is whether their systems are deemed sufficiently compliant. Another possible concern is the enforcement mechanism, since noncompliance could jeopardize eligibility for school safety grants. The bill also narrows eligible vendors to those with statewide deployment experience and SAFETY Act certification, which may limit competition and raise procurement concerns.