SB1315

THE CONTEXT: The Arizona Department of Administration must distribute School Safety Interoperability Fund (Fund) monies to a county, city or town sheriff that establishes a school safety program. Fund monies may only be used for a school safety program that: 1) encompasses schools throughout Arizona; 2) for a school safety program county, enables the deployment of a secure, multimedia data communications system to a user base consisting of public safety agencies and public schools; 3) provides a communications solution environment that allows for specified capabilities; 4) is capable of being deployed to end users on exis...

WHAT THE BILL DID: The final vetoed version would require a school district or charter school, if the school district or charter school receives monies from the state or a local LEA for interoperable communications, to select or develop technology, a system or a method to establish and maintain interoperable communications capabilities that include mechanisms that enable: a; designated school personnel to notify local LEAs in real time if an emergency occurs at the school; b; designated school personnel to communicate with local LEAs and law enforcement officers in real time during an emergency at the school; and c; the school district or charter school to securely transmit the current map of each school campus and floor plan of each school building to local LEAs in a printable format, instruct each school district and charter school that establishes and maintains interoperable communications capabilities to submit to ADE, in a form and manner prescribed by ADE and by July 1, 2027 and July 1 annually thereafter, an affidavit attesting that the school district or charter school: a; is maintaining the required interoperable communications capabilities; b; has transmitted the current maps and floor plans to local LEAs through the required mechanism; and c; has tested each required mechanism to ensure the school district or charter school can communicate with the local LEA in which the school district or charter school is located at least once during the preceding year, and direct ADE to develop guidelines and best practices to assist school districts and charter schools in meeting interoperable communications capabilities requirements.

WHY IT MATTERED: The practical reason for this bill was to turn the Legislature's standard for public schools into an enforceable rule. It would require a school district or charter school, if the school district or charter school receives monies from the state or a local LEA for interoperable communications, to select or develop technology, a system or a method to establish and maintain interoperable communications capabilities that include mechanisms that enable: a. designated school personnel to notify local LEAs in real time if an emergency occurs at the school; b. designated school personnel to communicate with local LEAs and law enforcement officers in real time during an emergency at the school; and c. the school district or charter school to securely transmit the current map of each school campus and floor plan of each school building to local LEAs in a printable format, and would also instruct each school district and charter school that establishes and maintains interoperable communications capabilities to submit to ADE, in a form and manner prescribed by ADE and by July 1, 2027 and July 1 annually thereafter, an affidavit attesting that the school district or charter school: a. is maintaining the required interoperable communications capabilities; b. has transmitted the current maps and floor plans to local LEAs through the required mechanism; and c. has tested each required mechanism to ensure the school district or charter school can communicate with the local LEA in which the school district or charter school is located at least once during the preceding year, rather than leave the current rule unchanged.