An Act to Require School Boards and Governing Bodies of
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 0808
Sponsors: MASTRACCIO, INGWERSEN
Amends: 20-A MRSA §6558

Legislative Document
No. 808
H.P. 515
House of Representatives, March 4, 2025
An Act to Require School Boards and Governing Bodies of 
Approved Private Schools to Implement Wearable Panic Alert 
Systems
Received by the Clerk of the House on February 27, 2025.  Referred to the Committee on 
Education and Cultural Affairs pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to 
Joint Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative MASTRACCIO of Sanford.
Cosponsored by Senator INGWERSEN of York and
Representatives: CROCKETT of Portland, DODGE of Belfast, KUHN of Falmouth, MEYER 
of Eliot, MURPHY of Scarborough, RIELLY of Westbrook, SARGENT of York, Senator: 
RAFFERTY of York.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §6558 is enacted to read:
§6558.  Wearable panic alert systems
Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, a school board or a governing body of an 
approved private school shall implement at each school building a wearable panic alert 
system.  As used in this section, "wearable panic alert system" means a collection of 
networked wearable devices that can transmit 9-1-1 calls and other notifications or 
otherwise allow for immediate contact with local emergency response agencies.
1.  Systems integration.  A wearable panic alert system must be capable of integrating 
with local public safety answering point infrastructure to transmit a 9-1-1 call and initiating 
a campuswide lockdown notification.
2.  Device distribution.  A school board or a governing body of an approved private 
school shall provide each staff person in a school building with a wearable panic alert 
system device.
3.  Training.  Prior to the first day of school each year, a school board or a governing 
body of an approved private school shall ensure that each staff person in a school building 
receives training on the protocol for and appropriate use of a wearable panic alert system 
device.
4.  Security data accessibility.  A school board or a governing body of an approved 
private school shall ensure that all security data within a school building are accessible by 
a local law enforcement agency and coordinate with the local law enforcement agency to 
establish appropriate access protocols.  Accessible security data must include access to data 
from cameras and maps.
5.  Records.  This subsection applies to records related to physical security and fire 
safety of school buildings.
A.  Any records, information, photographs, audio and visual presentations, schematic 
diagrams, surveys, recommendations or consultations or portions thereof relating 
directly to the physical security or fire safety of a school building or revealing security 
or fire safety systems that are accessed or held by a local law enforcement agency under 
this section are confidential and are not public records pursuant to Title 1, chapter 13, 
subchapter 1.
B.  Information made confidential under paragraph A may be disclosed:
(1)  To the property owner or leaseholder of the school building;
(2)  In furtherance of the official duties and responsibilities of the local law 
enforcement agency holding the information;
(3)  To a local, state or federal agency in furtherance of that agency's official duties 
and responsibilities; and
(4)  Upon a showing of good cause before a court of competent jurisdiction.
6.  Rules.  The department may adopt rules to implement this section.  Rules adopted 
pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, 
subchapter 2-A.
SUMMARY
This bill requires, beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, a school board or a 
governing body of an approved private school to implement at each school building a 
wearable panic alert system that is capable of integrating with local public safety answering 
point infrastructure to transmit a 9-1-1 call and initiating a campuswide lockdown 
notification.  It directs a school board or a governing body of an approved private school 
to provide each staff person in a school building with a wearable panic alert device and 
training on the use of the device.  It requires each school board and approved private school 
governing body to ensure that all security data within a school building are accessible by a 
local law enforcement agency.  It stipulates that records related to physical security or fire 
safety are not public records pursuant to the Freedom of Access Act but does provide for 
certain disclosures.