The Committee on Education and Public Works proposes the following amendment (LC-5144.WAB0002H):
Amend the bill, as and if amended, SECTION 1, by striking Section 59-5-105(B)(1) and (2) and inserting:
(B)(1) To facilitate efficient emergency responses in public schools by public safety agencies in this State, the School Mapping Data Program is established as a statewide initiative within the State Department of Education. Subject to funding, the department shall contract with a vendor to provide school mapping data for each public school in the State, including charter schools and special schools. The data must be provided to each school district and charter school authorizer for the schools within their respective jurisdictions, local law enforcement agencies, and public safety agencies for use in response to emergencies. For purposes of this section, emergencies include, but are not limited to, any event in which a law enforcement officer, firefighter, rescue squad, emergency medical service provider, public safety telecommunicator, or any other emergency management provider may respond.(2) In addition to requirements set forth by the Department and in consultation with the Center for School Safety and Targeted Violence within the State Law Enforcement Division, school mapping data must:
(a) be compatible with software platforms used by local, county, state, and federal public safety agencies that provide emergency services to the specific school for which the data is provided without requiring such agencies to purchase additional software or requiring a fee to view or access the data;
(b) be compatible with security software platforms in use by the specific school for which the data is provided without requiring the local law enforcement agencies or school districts to purchase additional software or requiring a fee to view or access the data; and
(c) provide that any updates to school mapping data as defined by this section must be accessible within software platforms used by local, county, state, and federal public safety agencies that provide emergency services to the specific school.
Amend the bill further, SECTION 1, by striking Section 59-5-105(C) and inserting:
(C) School districts and charter schools must pay annual maintenance fees to update their school maps to ensure the school floor plans and aerial imagery are accurate and up to date. If the annual maintenance fee exceeds six hundred fifty dollars per school and the district or charter cannot afford the fee, the district or charter school shall submit a request to the State Superintendent of Education that state funds be requested of the General Assembly to cover the fees.