To improve school safety in Washington, legislators recently passed SB 5004. This legislation mandates the purchase and implementation of school alert systems. The law outlines a range of measures that Washington schools may adopt to meet the requirements of SB 5004. The CENTEGIX Safety Platform™ enables schools to meet these requirements and reduce emergency response times. Staff equipped with Safety Platform’s CrisisAlert wearable panic button can initiate school safety protocols, communicate in real time with law enforcement, and reduce emergency response times.
What is SB 5004?
Washington lawmakers passed SB 5004 on April 17, 2025. Senator Nikki Torres, who sponsored the legislation, said updating school alert systems “is a critical step toward faster, more effective communication in crisis situations. This legislation reflects our commitment to ensuring our schools are safe places for learning and growth.” According to Torres, the law was inspired by Alyssa’s Law.
Alyssa’s Law is named for Alyssa Alhadeff, who was killed in the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, FL. Many states have passed their versions of Alyssa’s Law to address the issue of law enforcement response time when a life-threatening emergency occurs. Alyssa’s Law requires schools to install panic alarms directly linked to law enforcement, allowing first responders to arrive at the scene as quickly as possible, eliminate threats, and triage any victims in an emergency.
Alyssa’s Law in Washington
Lori Alhadeff, Alyssa’s mother and leader of Make Our Schools Safe, said, “With the passage of Alyssa’s Law in Washington, we are turning pain into purpose. Seconds matter in an emergency—and now, every school in this state will be better prepared to save lives. Alyssa’s legacy continues to protect students across the country.”
Lawmakers developed SB 5004 with guidance from the State School Safety Center, which provides a clearinghouse for best practices and information on school safety incidents in Washington. The School Safety Center also maintains a public website with resources, research, and guidance around comprehensive school safety, threat assessment, and behavioral health in schools. The Center supports school districts meeting state safety requirements and promotes comprehensive planning for safe and supportive learning environments.
How Do Washington Schools Comply with SB 5004?
To comply with SB 5004, “school districts must work collaboratively with local law enforcement agencies, public safety answering points, and safety and security staff to develop an emergency response system using evolving technology to expedite the response and arrival of law enforcement in the event of a threat or emergency at a school.”
“Emergency response system” includes at least one of the following:
- Panic or alert buttons linked to school administration, school district staff, and emergency response providers
- Live video feed with law enforcement, school district, and school access
- Live audio feed with law enforcement, school district, and school access
- Remote control access to doors
- Live, interactive two-way communications
- A system that complies with applicable state building code requirements for group occupancies for emergency response systems or systems developed as part of a safe school plan
Close collaboration between schools and law enforcement is essential when developing and implementing effective response protocols. Because of this, law enforcement endorses the implementation of Alyssa’s Law in Washington schools. Grant County Sheriff Joey Kriete said, “This legislation is a crucial step toward ensuring the safety of students, educators, and staff. SB 5004 proposes the integration of advanced security measures that will help to save lives and prevent further harm.”
CENTEGIX Solutions in Washington Schools
Some Washington districts are already using CENTEGIX CrisisAlert to protect students. Sara Cordova, the Yakima School District’s director of safety and security, said CrisisAlert “has already proven its value in Yakima. On Sept. 12, 2023, a shooting occurred near one of our high schools. Within moments, multiple buildings were locked down using the security notification system, ensuring the safety of students and staff while law enforcement responded.” The CrisisAlert system produced precisely the results Alyssa’s Law supports: effective communication and reduced emergency response times.
CrisisAlert wearable panic buttons have also proven effective in everyday emergencies in Yakima schools. In one incident, a staff member who had fallen ill initiated an alert on their CrisisAlert wearable badge. Said Cordova, “Thanks to the system’s real-time locating feature, responders knew precisely where to go, even though the staff member was not visible. Had we not had the CrisisAlert system, no one would have known that our employee was in medical distress, and emergency responders might not have arrived in time.”
National Trends in School Safety: Alyssa’s Law
State legislatures are passing Alyssa’s Law to support schools with purchasing and implementing school alert systems. Alyssa’s Law requires the installation of panic alarms directly linked to law enforcement, so in the event of an emergency, they will arrive on the scene as quickly as possible, neutralize the threat, and triage any victims. Dozens of states across the US have passed or introduced versions of Alyssa’s Law. Make Our Schools Safe tracks these pieces of legislation and helps citizens advocate for school safety laws.
Other states in the Pacific Northwest region have also included panic alert technology in their school safety legislation. Oregon passed its version of Alyssa’s Law in March 2025. HB 3083 requires school districts to consider installing a panic alarm system in their schools, consisting of either a wireless or wearable panic alarm directly linked to law enforcement agencies. Teachers or school staff can immediately connect to emergency medical services and first responders through these school alert systems.
Oregon Representative Emerson Levy, the bill’s sponsor, said, “This legislation will give our schools, faculty, and students the resources they need to react in the little time they have and save lives.”
Why Wearable Panic Buttons?
School districts nationwide select CENTEGIX® school safety solutions to achieve Alyssa’s Law compliance. The CENTEGIX Safety Platform currently protects over 15,000 locations across the country. The Safety Platform is designed to improve communication with first responders, enable staff members to request assistance, and make school buildings more secure. As a foundational part of the Safety Platform, CrisisAlert™ wearable panic buttons fulfill the purpose of Alyssa’s law: to reduce emergency response times, thereby saving lives.
CENTEGIX Safety Platform Empowers Schools to Meet SB 5004 Requirements
The Safety Platform is the foundation of a district’s multilayered safety plan. Its innovative components work together to reduce emergency response times and create a culture of safety in schools.
CrisisAlert wearable panic buttons:
- Enable staff to alert local responders immediately with a single button.
- Show the locations of alerts in real time on the Safety Blueprint critical incident map.
- Empower staff to initiate a campus-wide rapid response to emergencies immediately. This type of alert goes directly to first responders and local administrators, notifying them of who needs help and their exact location.
- Activate full audio and visual communication campus-wide, including flashing strobes, making everyone aware of the threat and to get to safety as soon as possible.
- Notify 911 dispatch with precise alert location details.
For Washington schools working toward Alyssa’s Law compliance, CENTEGIX CrisisAlert wearable panic buttons are the proven solution. Learn more today about how your Washington district can reduce response times and comply with Alyssa’s Law by implementing the CENTEGIX Safety Platform.
