S2426

An Act concerning the submission of data on school buildings and grounds and amending P.L.2019, c.106.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. Section 1 of P.L.2019, c.106 (C.18A:41-7.1) is amended to read as follows:

1. a. Each board of education or chief school administrator of a nonpublic school shall provide to local law enforcement authorities [a copy of the current blueprints and maps] critical incident mapping data for all schools and school grounds within the school district or nonpublic school. In the case of a school building located in a municipality in which there is no municipal police department, [a copy of the blueprints and maps] critical incident mapping data shall be provided to an entity designated by the Superintendent of State Police. A board of education or chief school administrator of a nonpublic school shall provide revised [copies] mapping data to the applicable law enforcement authorities or designated entities any time that there is a change to the [blueprints or maps] critical incident mapping data.

b. Critical incident mapping data provided pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall be:

(1) compatible with all platforms and applications used by local, State, and federal law enforcement authorities;

(2) provided in a printable format; and

(3) verified for accuracy through an annual walkthrough of school buildings and school grounds.

c. As used in this section, “critical incident mapping data” means information provided in electronic or digital form to assist first responders in an emergency including, but not limited to:

(1) aerial images of schools;

(2) floor plans, including room and suite numbers;

(3) building access points;

(4) locations of hazardous materials and utility shut-offs; and

(5) any other relevant location information.

d. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require local law enforcement authorities or designated entities to access critical incident mapping data using third party viewing software.

(cf: P.L.2019, c.106, s.1)

2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to the first full school year following the date of enactment.

STATEMENT

This bill requires boards of education and chief administrators of nonpublic schools to provide critical mapping data for all schools and school grounds to local law enforcement authorities. For purposes of the bill, “critical incident mapping data” means information provided in electronic or digital form to assist first responders in an emergency including, but not limited to:

· aerial images of schools;

· floor plans, including room and suite numbers;

· building access points;

· locations of hazardous materials and utility shut-offs; and

· any other relevant location information.

Under current law, each board of education or chief school administrator of a nonpublic school is required to provide to local law enforcement authorities a copy of the current blueprints and maps for all schools and school grounds within the school district or nonpublic school. In the case of a school building located in a municipality in which there is no municipal police department, a copy of the blueprints and maps is required to be provided to an entity designated by the Superintendent of State Police. A board of education or chief school administrator of a nonpublic school is also required to provide revised copies to law enforcement authorities or a designated entity any time there is a change to the blueprints or maps.

The bill would amend current law to require boards of education and school districts to provide to local law enforcement authorities critical incident mapping data, rather than blueprints and maps, for all schools and school buildings within the school district or nonpublic school. For school buildings located within a municipality where there is no municipal police department, the mapping data would be provided to an entity designated by the Superintendent of State Police. Any time there is a change to the mapping data, a board of education or chief administrator of a nonpublic school would be required to provide revised data to law enforcement authorities or a designated entity. Mapping data provided pursuant to this bill would be required to be compatible with all platforms and applications used by local, State, and federal law enforcement authorities; provided in a printable format; and verified for accuracy through an annual walkthrough of school buildings and school grounds. Nothing in this bill would be construed to require local law enforcement authorities or designated entities to access critical incident mapping data using third party viewing software.