MSD Public Safety Commission meets as students head back to school

SUNRISE, Fla. – As students in Broward County returned to school Wednesday, the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Public Safety Commission met to continue its mission to help ensure school safety.

"Since the Stoneman Douglas tragedy, these Parkland parents and spouses have helped change the national conversation," U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch, D-Fla., said. 

Joined by family members of Parkland victims and law enforcement leaders, the commission is highlighting the need for bipartisan support of safety laws and initiatives in Congress, like Alyssa's Law, named after Alyssa Alhadeff -- one of the 17 victims killed in last year's school shooting. 

"We must equip all of our schools with tools like panic buttons to ensure us that law enforcement is on the way as quickly as possible," Alyssa's mother, Lori Alhadeff, said. 

Alyssa's Law already passed in New Jersey and calls for a panic alarm in every public school. Alyssa's Law is included in the School Violence Prevention and Mitigation Act -- a provision Max Schachter said in retrospect could have saved his son Alex, who was also killed in the shooting.

"If we would have had panic alarms in Marjory Stoneman Douglas, we would not have had 17 people murdered," he said.  

Parents and law enforcement leaders are also highlighting changes to threat assessment and officer and deputy training. 

"By going up to D.C. and spending time (there), I was able to bring back and do things in this community that we've never seen done before related to enhancing school safety and security," Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony said.