US Senate Passes “Lulu’s Law” for Shark Attack Warnings
This week, the US Senate approved “Lulu’s Law,” a measure introduced by U.S. Senator Katie Britt aimed at establishing a national shark attack warning system via the Federal Communications Commission.
The legislation is named after Lulu Gribbin, a 16-year-old from Mountain Brook, Alabama, who had previously experienced a shark attack. Alabama’s Legislature also adopted a similar law during its 2025 session.
The Senate voted unanimously on Tuesday to pass Britt’s proposal, which received support from both sides of the aisle. After the successful vote, Britt celebrated the achievement on the Senate floor.
“Lulu was at Sandbar in Walton County, Florida, when she was brutally attacked by a shark. The incident nearly cost her life; she lost two-thirds of her blood,” Britt recounted. “This initiated a lengthy journey involving numerous surgeries and extensive physical therapy. Lulu lost her left arm and right leg but never wavered in her determination to inspire others.”
Britt highlighted Lulu’s resilience, noting her achievements: she has mastered golf, drives, plays basketball, surfs, and is now running. “Her story exemplifies incredible resilience, faith, and mental strength, and illustrates the need to prevent such incidents in the future,” Britt said.
If there had been a national alert system in place, Britt believes Lulu might have avoided her life-altering injury. “Just 90 minutes before Lulu was attacked, a woman in Virginia was bitten a few miles away. If there had been an alert, Lulu would have likely stayed out of the water,” she explained.
Senator Britt emphasized that preventing such attacks is a collective effort in honor of Lulu, aiming to protect beachgoers and families. “While the Senate’s passage of this law is certainly a moment of celebration, our work isn’t finished. I’m hopeful our colleagues in the House will quickly advance this legislation to the president’s desk,” she stated.
The law has now moved to the US House of Representatives, where it is being sponsored by US Representative Gary Palmer.
