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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, Second Regular Session
school mapping data; requirements; accessibility
Purpose
Establishes the School Mapping Data Program (Program) and School Mapping Data Program Fund (Program Fund) to facilitate efficient emergency responses on school campuses and outlines requirements for Program administration, Program participation and the award of grants.
Background
In
conjunction with local law enforcement agencies and emergency response
agencies, each school district governing board and charter school governing
body must develop an emergency response plan for each school in the district or
charter in accordance with minimum standards developed jointly by the Arizona Department
of Education (ADE) and the Division of Emergency Management within the Department
of Emergency and Military Affairs (A.R.S.
§ 15-341; Laws
2025, Ch. 129).
The emergency response plan minimum standards require an emergency response plan to include: 1) an incident command system; 2) prescribed content and sections, including a basic plan, functional annexes and threat and hazard annexes; and 3) a plan for maintenance, training and exercise (ADE). In addition to emergency response plan minimum standards, ADE provides guidance, templates and resources for developing an emergency response plan (ADE).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Establishes the Program in ADE to facilitate efficient emergency responses on school campuses by ensuring school mapping data is accurate, standardized and accessible to public safety agencies.
2. Requires ADE to develop standardized Program requirements and guidelines, including requirements that ensure that the school mapping data software:
a) is compatible with software platforms used by local, state and federal public safety agencies that provide emergency services to schools in Arizona;
b) does not require a public safety agency to purchase additional software or pay a fee to view or access the school mapping data;
c) includes school mapping data in a printable format; and
d) does not allow the school mapping data for a school site to be modified or updated without updating the school mapping data for the school site within each platform that is used by a local, state or federal public safety agency that may provide emergency services to the school site.
3. Requires ADE to develop standardized Program requirements and guidelines, including requirements that ensure that the school mapping data is oriented true north, overlaid with gridded X and Y coordinates and includes all of the following:
a) accurate floor plans overlaid on current, verified aerial images of the school campus;
b) site-specific labels that match the structure of each school building, including room labels, hallway names, external door numbers and stairwell numbers;
c) site-specific labels that match the school grounds, including parking areas, athletic fields, roadways and neighboring properties; and
d) the location of each critical utility, key box, automated external defibrillator and trauma kit and any known hazard at each school site.
4. Requires ADE to develop standardized Program requirements and guidelines, including requirements that ensure that if a school contracts with a vendor to produce school mapping data, the contract's provisions must ensure that:
a) public safety agencies and the school will have perpetual access to all school mapping data at no additional cost; and
b) each contractor that produces school mapping data will verify the accuracy of the data by conducting a walk-through of all school buildings and school grounds that are included in the data.
5. Allows each school in Arizona to apply for a Program grant in a form and manner prescribed by ADE.
6. Requires each school that receives Program grant monies from the Program Fund to:
a) use the monies for the costs of developing school mapping data; and
b) develop school mapping data consistent with the Program requirements for each school site that is operated by the school.
7. Requires an annual review of school mapping data for each school site receiving grant monies from the Program Fund and either:
a) certify to ADE that the school mapping data is complete and accurate and meets Program requirements; or
b) update the school mapping data to ensure that it is complete and accurate and meets Program requirements.
8. Determines that any school mapping data the Program produces is:
a) not a public record or subject to public disclosure; and
b) exempt from public records requirements.
9. Establishes the Program Fund consisting of monies appropriated by the Legislature and grants, gifts, devises and donations from any public or private source.
10. Requires ADE to administer the Program Fund and distribute Program grants from the Program Fund to eligible schools in Arizona on a first-come, first-served basis.
11. Allows ADE to accept or spend any federal monies, private grants, gifts, contributions and devises to assist in administering the Program Fund.
12. Specifies that monies in the Program Fund are continuously appropriated and exempt from lapsing.
13. Defines a school as a public school in Arizona that offers instruction to students in a kindergarten program or any of grades 1 through 12.
14. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 9, 2026
KJA/KM/hk