TRENTON, N.J. – New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has vetoed legislation that would have required every public school in the state to install panic alarms and emergency lights.
The state legislature voted to approve the bill to install the panic alarms in emergency lights in June 2014, NJ1015.com.
If it had been approved, schools would have had to install panic alarms that would silently and electronically notify police while simultaneously activating an outdoor emergency light to alert the public that some was going on inside the school building.
In his veto message, the governor stated that he cares about the safety of students, but questioned if panic alarms in schools was the best tool to protect them.
Assemblyman Ralph Caputo, one of the measure’s sponsors, believes Christie dropped the ball, stating that panic alarms are common at banks and toll booths, so the security technology should also be installed at schools.
