Yaya Alert System: Bill would create real-time alerts for schools during threats

Bill would create real-time alert system for schools during threats

Florida lawmakers are considering a proposal that would require real-time alerts to schools, child-care centers and nearby residents when law enforcement identifies an “imminent threat,” a measure its sponsors say could save lives. The bill, known as the Yaya Act, is named in 9-year-old T’Yonna Major who was killed in February 2023 when a murder suspect returned to a Pine Hills home hours after allegedly killing a woman nearby.

ORLANDO, Fla. - Florida lawmakers are considering a proposal that would require real-time alerts to schools, child-care centers and nearby residents when law enforcement identifies an "imminent threat," a measure its sponsors say could save lives.

The bill, known as the Yaya Act, is named in 9-year-old T’Yonna Major who was killed in February 2023 when a murder suspect returned to a Pine Hills home hours after allegedly killing a woman nearby.

Real-time alerts to save lives

What we know:

House Bill 715 establishes a mandatory alert protocol between law enforcement, grade schools, childcare facilities and communities when an "imminent threat" has been identified.

That could include if someone has been killed or severely injured by another person, the person suspected of a deadly or dangerous crime has fled the scene, and/or law enforcement determines a suspect poses a threat to public safety.If those criteria are met, it would be up to local law enforcement to issue a Yaya alert. 

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The alert would notify all school and childcare facilities, and potentially those who sign up for the alerts, within a 3-mile radius of the incident’s location.

"We are talking about situations where seconds matter," said Rep. Rashon Young. "This is about life and death for our children, and it is about prioritizing their safety."

Who's behind the bill?

Rashon Young introduced the bill in the state house. Young now represents district 40, the district T’Yonna lived in. For him, this is personal.

"This legislation, this work that we are doing in the Yaya act is about honoring Yaya's legacy, making sure that we call her name, call her name T’Yonna Major," said Young. "This is a bill of the community. This is what civic engagement and advocacy looks like."

The bills’ companion bill, SB 814 was introduced by State Senator Shevrin Jones.

FOX 35 reached out to Jones’ office for comment but did not get a response in time for publication.

What we don't know:

Lawmakers have not yet released details about how the alerts would look or sound or what technology they would use.

Who was T’Yonna Major?

Dig deeper:

T’Yonna Major was killed in February 2023, after a murder suspect returned to the scene five hours after allegedly killing a woman in Pine Hills.

According to authorities, T’Yonna had just gotten home from school when he walked through the backdoor of her home and opened fire. T’Yonna’s mother was injured in the shooting but survived.

The suspect went on to kill a news reporter and was later found by law enforcement as he was walking down the street.

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If a system like this was in place back then, Angel Grantley said her niece might still be alive today.

"If this was in play, the school would have been on lockdown," Grantley said. "My sister wouldn't have been able to go pick [T’Yonna] up. And [it would also] have let my sister know that there’s an imminent threat."

According to Grantley, the family is optimistic about the possibility of this alert system coming to fruition.

"I know we cannot stop everything, but the domino effect can be stopped," Grantley said. "We're just trying to do what she would want us to do and just help the community, you know, and just try to make this better and make Florida better. It's just not about us; it's about all of these families."

What's next:

If both bills move through legislation without objection, the law – and alert system – could take effect as early as October 2026.

As far as how the alert system would look, sound and function, details have not yet been specified.