WASHINGTON – Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, D-N.Y. introduced on April 10 another bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that would require universities and colleges to issue warnings to their campus communities of emergencies within 30 minutes.
Currently, the House version of the Higher Education Act has this requirement, while the Senate version does not. The new McCarthy bill clarifies two issues that are vague in the earlier version of the House bill. The 30-minute time clock would start after campus authorities confirm that the emergency exists. Additionally, the language was changed so that campuses must activate notification procedures in that time frame. Previously, the bill stated all campus constituents must receive the emergency alerts in that 30-minute window.
A decision regarding the bill is expected in the next week or two, and Security On Campus has asked the public to contact members of Congress and encourage them to fully support the 30-minute notification provision.
The International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA) has expressed its opposition to the bill and has asked its members to contact Congress as well.
For additional information:
- Virginia Tech victims’ families push for notification law
- Proposed time limit for campus emergency alerts draws fire
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