Representative Gary Palmer (AL-06) introduced Lulu’s Law in the U.S. House of Representatives. Lulu’s Law is named after Lulu Gribbin of Mountain Brook, Alabama, who was attacked by a shark in June 2024.
Only 90 minutes prior to Lulu Gribbin and McCray Faust being attacked, another woman was attacked by a shark a few miles away. Lulu’s Law would codify the ability for authorities to quickly deploy wireless emergency alerts (WEAs) to the public if someone has been attacked by a shark or if the conditions for a shark attack are present.
“If there is a commonsense solution to keeping Americans safe and out of harm’s way, we should capitalize on it. Had an alert gone out on June 7, 2024, the dreadful shark attack on Lulu could have been prevented,” said Rep. Palmer. “Lulu’s tremendous strength, faith, and bravery throughout her healing journey has inspired many. By passing Lulu’s Law, we would be creating a practical solution to prevent future attacks from occurring and keeping beachgoers safe.”
Senator Katie Britt (R-AL) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. Senate.
“Last June, the unthinkable happened when Lulu suffered a devastating shark attack. When Lulu woke up, she said, ‘I made it’ and since then, she has only continued to prove her resilience,” said Sen. Britt. “I’m incredibly proud of her faith, her courage, and her strength – she truly personifies both grace and grit. Lulu’s Law would empower authorities to quickly and accurately put information in the hands of beachgoers to help keep them out of harm’s way. This is a commonsense measure aimed at keeping families safe – a cause that I know people can rally around, just like her local community, our great state, and the entire nation have rallied around Lulu.”
The Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) is managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and sends out local alerts in an effort to provide emergency information to the public. Other WEA alerts include extreme weather warnings, amber alerts, and more.
Read the bill here.
