House passes 'Lulu's Law' shark alerts

The U.S. House has sent Lulu’s Law to President Donald Trump after approving the shark-alert bill this week, clearing the last congressional step before it can take effect. The measure, S. 1003, would require the Federal Communications Commission to treat a shark attack as an event eligible for a wireless emergency alert, the same phone-notification system used for other public warnings. The bill is named for Lulu Gribbin, the Alabama teenager whose 2024 shark attack helped drive the legislation. House passage came Wednesday, according to ABC News and Alabama news outlets. ### What would the bill actually do? S. 1003 directs the FCC to issue an order within 180 days of enactment providing that a shark attack is an event for which a wireless emergency alert may be transmitted. The bill text does not create a brand-new alert network; it plugs shark attacks into the existing federal wireless emergency alert framework. (abcnews.com) The FCC’s role under the bill is regulatory. State and local authorities would be able to use the alert system once the FCC has issued the required order, according to the bill text and reporting by ABC News and al.com. ### Why is it called Lulu’s Law? Lulu Gribbin, a Mountain Brook, Alabama, teenager, became the public face of the measure after surviving a shark attack in June 2024 off the Florida Panhandle, according to sponsor statements and local reporting. (congress.gov) Previous coverage of the bill said Gribbin lost her left hand and part of her right leg in the attack. (govtrack.us) ABC News reported that Gribbin, now 17, helped spearhead the legislation as Congress moved it toward final passage. Alabama Daily News reported that she was at the Capitol with Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama and Rep. Gary Palmer of Alabama when the House approved the bill. (palmer.house.gov) ### Who pushed the legislation through Congress? Sen. Katie Britt, an Alabama Republican, introduced the Senate bill, while Rep. Gary Palmer, also an Alabama Republican, led the House version, according to Congress-related and sponsor materials. The Senate passed the measure unanimously in 2025 before the House took it up this month. (abcnews.com) The House approved the bill by a 401-6 vote, Alabama Daily News reported. ABC News described the measure as bipartisan and said it passed both chambers ahead of the summer beach season. ### Would people get an alert every time a shark is spotted? The bill text refers specifically to a shark attack, not a general shark sighting. (palmer.house.gov) That means the trigger described in the legislation is narrower than routine beach warnings about marine life or surf conditions. Some secondary reports have described the legislation more broadly as covering unsafe water conditions. (aldailynews.com) But the operative language in the bill text centers on requiring the FCC to allow an alert message when a shark attack occurs. ### What happens next? President Donald Trump now decides whether to sign Lulu’s Law. (congress.gov) If he signs it, the FCC would have 180 days from enactment to issue the order required by the statute, according to the bill text. The next formal milestone is not another House or Senate vote. The next step is presidential action on S. 1003, followed by FCC rulemaking if the bill becomes law. (govtrack.us) (abcnews.com)