New bill would update Kansas’ weather alert system in light of recent failures

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KCTV) - After failures left communities around the metro without a warning system for severe weather, legislative leaders introduced a bill to improve the nation’s system.

U.S. Representative Sharice Davids (D-KS) says she recently introduced the bipartisan Weather Alert Response and Notification - WARN - Act to modernize the nation’s emergency alert systems.

Kansas sits in the heart of Tornado Alley, however, Congresswoman Davids said that in 2024, emergency alert sirens faltered in Johnson, Miami, Shawnee, Sedgwick and Wyandotte counties. System overload, weather damage and human error all contributed.

“Kansans know all too well how critical it is to have reliable emergency alerts — whether it’s a tornado, a flash flood, or another severe weather event,” said Davids. “We’ve seen local instances where sirens didn’t go off when they should have, and others where they sounded without a real threat, creating confusion and undermining trust in the system. I’m proud to join this bipartisan effort to modernize emergency alert systems, ensuring our communities receive clear, accurate, and timely warnings when disaster strikes.”

Rep. Davids indicated that she was joined by Rep. Nicholas Langworthy (R-NY) to introduce the legislation to ensure the community receives timely, reliable warnings when severe weather hits. The bill passed the House in 2024 with unanimous support.

“In times of emergency, one of the best things we can do to save lives and mitigate damage is to ensure there is an accurate and reliable public notification system,” said Representative Nick Langworthy (R-NY-23). “As we saw with Winter Storm Elliott and countless extreme weather events across the nation, effective warning systems are a matter of life and death. This legislation is the first step to replacing inconsistent, fragmented and arbitrary systems into a streamlined process for an accurate and consistent nationwide emergency alert system. We came extremely close to having this bill become law in the last year, and I’m confident we will be able to get it across the finish line in this new Congress.”

Specifically, Davids noted that the WARN Act directs the Government Accountability Office to study the effectiveness of local, state and federal emergency alert systems - with a focus on the adoption of cutting-edge technology like mobile alerts, and satellite communications. The bill aims to improve the clarity and reliability of alerts.