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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, Second Regular Session
public schools; interoperable communications; requirements
Purpose
Requires each school district and charter school to establish and maintain interoperable communications capabilities that include specified mechanisms to notify and communicate with local law enforcement agencies (LEAs) during a school emergency. Outlines reporting requirements on public schools and the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) relating to the requirement to maintain interoperable communications capabilities.
Background
Each school district governing board and charter school governing body
must develop an emergency response plan for each school in conjunction with
local LEAs and emergency response agencies and in accordance with the minimum
standards developed by ADE and the Division of Emergency Management within the
Department of Emergency and Military Affairs. A school district's or charter
school's emergency response plan must address how the school and emergency
responders will communicate with and provide assistance to students with
disabilities (A.R.S.
§§ 15-183
and 15-341).
Statute requires the Arizona Department of Administration to distribute
School Safety Interoperability Fund monies to a county sheriff or city or town
police department that establishes a school safety program. School Safety
Interoperability Fund monies may be used only for a school safety program that:
1) encompasses schools throughout Arizona; 2) enables the deployment of a
secure, multimedia data communications system for public safety agencies and
public schools;
3) provides a communications solution environment that allows for
identification, secure messaging, information sharing and alarm system
integration as outlined; 4) is capable of being deployed to end users on
existing communication assets; 5) allows each participating entity to maintain
real-time communication; 6) encrypts all media communications; 7) is certified
under the federal Support Anti-Terrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies
Act; 8) is compatible with the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency
Interoperable Gateway System for disaster communications; 9) ensures student
and staff privacy; and 10) enables integration to school access control to
allow remote lockdown by law enforcement (A.R.S.
§ 41-1733).
School building blueprints and floor plans are not public records and are exempt from public record requirements (A.R.S. § 15-154).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Requires each school district and charter school to select or develop technology, a system or a method to establish and maintain interoperable communications capabilities that include:
a) a mechanism that enables designated school personnel to notify local LEAs in real time if an emergency occurs at the school;
b) a mechanism that enables 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
c) a mechanism that enables designated school personnel to communicate with local LEAs and law enforcement officers in real time during an emergency at the school.
2. Exempts a school district or charter school from the requirement to establish a new interoperable communications system if:
a) the school district or charter school uses a secure, multimedia data communications system that is deployed using School Safety Interoperability Fund monies; and
b) the existing multimedia data communications system satisfies the prescribed interoperable communications capabilities requirements.
3. Requires, by July 1, 2027, and July 1 of each year thereafter, each school district and charter school to submit to ADE an affidavit attesting that the school district or charter school:
a) is maintaining the interoperable communications capabilities as prescribed;
b) has transmitted the current maps and floor plans to local LEAs through the required mechanism; and
c) has tested each required mechanism at least once during the preceding year to ensure that the school district or charter school is able to communicate with the local LEA in whose jurisdiction that school district or charter school is located.
4. Requires ADE to:
a) prescribe the form and manner of the annual affidavit;
b) develop guidelines and best practices to assist school districts and charter schools in meeting the interoperable communications capabilities requirements;
c) compile the affidavits submitted by school districts and charter schools; and
d) provide an annual statewide interoperability readiness report to the Governor, the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives and provide a copy of the report to the Secretary of State.
5. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 12, 2026
MH/hk