Lulu's Law mandates that wireless emergency alerts must be updated to include notifications for shark attacks.
Katie Britt
Senator
AL
Lulu's Law mandates that wireless emergency alert systems be updated to include shark attacks as a triggerable event. The FCC is required to issue an order within 180 days to officially incorporate shark attack warnings into the alert system. This ensures the public can be rapidly notified of dangerous shark activity.
Lulu's Law Mandates Shark Attacks Trigger Wireless Emergency Alerts Within 180 Days
If you live near the coast or plan to vacation there, this one’s for you. Lulu’s Law is straightforward legislation focused entirely on public safety, specifically dealing with one of nature’s more sudden and terrifying threats: shark attacks.
The bill mandates that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) must issue an official order within 180 days of the law being enacted. This order will ensure that a confirmed shark attack officially qualifies as an event that can trigger a Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) message. Think of the WEA system as the same infrastructure that buzzes your phone with Amber Alerts, severe weather warnings, or civil danger notifications. The law (SEC. 2) simply adds “shark attack” to the list of incidents that can activate this system.
The Emergency Alert Expansion
Currently, the WEA system is primarily used for weather events, missing persons, and certain government-issued threats. This bill leverages that existing, effective infrastructure and expands its scope to cover an immediate, localized natural hazard. By using the existing definition of an “Alert Message” (referencing Section 10.10(a) of title 47 of the Code of Federal Regulations), the law avoids reinventing the wheel and ensures consistency with current regulatory standards. This means the alerts will look and sound familiar to users.
What This Means for Coastal Residents and Travelers
For anyone working, living, or recreating along the coast—from fishermen and surfers to families on vacation—this is a clear win for timely information. If a shark incident occurs, emergency management agencies will have a standardized tool to immediately notify people in the affected area. Instead of relying solely on local radio, beach flags, or word-of-mouth, the warning goes straight to the cell phones of those nearby. This cuts down on the time it takes for critical safety information to reach the public, which can be the difference maker in preventing further incidents or casualties. While shark attacks are rare, when they happen, they require immediate, widespread notification, and this law provides the mechanism to do just that.