Legislative Report – August 2019
August saw more bills passing that will impact states in various ways. School security continues to receive priority attention from legislatures. We are also seeing an increase in data and consumer protection in legislation. The following bills highlight activity during the last month.
FL HB 23 and SB 70
FL HB 23 and SB 70 were filed on August 2, 2019 and are cited as “Alyssa’s Law”, which would require each public school building on the campus of a public elementary school, middle school, or high school to be equipped with at least one panic alarm, connected directly to designated law enforcement agency for use in non-fire emergencies, including active shooters.
IL SB 1371
IL SB 1371 will provide that temporary barricade devices be used in active shooter or other emergencies that would block ingress and egress to school buildings. This bill was enacted on August 23, 2019.
IL HB 2643
IL HB 2643 was a consumer protection bill that extended senior citizen right to cancel up to 15 days for most door-to-door sales contracts. The enrolled version of this bill limited the right to cancel provision to home repair and remodeling contracts that were initiated by door-to-door sales without prior notification of their visit. It was enacted on August 9, 2019.
IL HB 3390
IL HB 3390 amends the Animal Welfare Act. Provides that a kennel operator shall install in the kennel a fire alarm monitoring system that triggers notification to local emergency responders when activated. Provides that the Department of Agriculture shall deny the initial licensure or license renewal of a kennel operator for the failure to comply with this provision. This bill was enacted on August 6, 2019.
August saw more bills passing that will impact states in various ways. School security continues to receive priority attention from legislatures. We are also seeing an increase in data and consumer protection in legislation. The following bills highlight activity during the last month.
MA H 158
MA H 158 would require all private long-term care facilities to install video monitoring systems at all entrances, exits and common areas and record all activity with means to preserve these recordings based on requirements established by rulemaking. This bill is set for a hearing on September 24, 2019.
MA HD 4401
MA HD 4401 was introduced on August 12, 2019 and would require every elementary and secondary school to be equipped with at least one panic alarm for use in a school security emergency. The alarm would be required to be silent and connected directly to responsible law enforcement agency.
MA S 1385
MA S 1385 would create a moratorium on the use of facial recognition technology. This resolution assumes that facial recognition is inherently biased against people of color and marks them as suspect in public spaces. It was discharged to the Judiciary Committee on August 5, 2019.
NJ S. 4072
NJ S. 4072 was introduced on August 26, 2019 and provides that several professional and occupational licensing boards in the Division of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Law and Public Safety shall not charge a fee to a member of the Armed Forces of the United States or the member’s spouse or a member of the National Guard of any state or the member’s spouse when issuing or renewing that professional or occupational license, certificate of registration, or certification to practice in New Jersey.
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