MONTGOMERY, AL — Governor Kay Ivey on Tuesday officially signed House Bill 437, also known as Lulu’s Law, into law. The legislation establishes a shark alert system under the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, specifically for the beaches and shorelines of Baldwin and Mobile counties.
The bill was inspired by Lulu Gribbin, a Birmingham teenager who survived a shark attack earlier this year. Under the new law, the Mobile and Baldwin County Emergency Management Agencies are authorized to issue shark-related alerts directly to mobile cellular devices in localized areas. First responders in the vicinity will also receive real-time notifications in the event of a shark attack.
Lulu’s Law aims to improve public safety along Alabama’s Gulf Coast by enhancing communication during emergencies involving shark activity. The law mandates collaboration between state and local agencies to ensure swift dissemination of warnings to the public.
Following the signing, Governor Ivey issued a statement noting Alabama’s commitment to public safety on its coastlines and acknowledged the role Lulu Gribbin played in inspiring the legislation.
The new alert system will be developed and implemented under the oversight of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, with coordination from local emergency management agencies.
