25 LC 49 2291
House Bill 643
By: Representatives Townsend of the 179
th
, Hilton of the 48
th
, Ballard of the 147
th
, Rice of
the 139
th
, Dubnik of the 29
th
, and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Article 27 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
1
relating to loitering at or disrupting schools, so as to provide for the local board of education2
or other governing body of each public and private elementary and secondary school in this3
state to install key boxes at each school building in locations determined in collaboration4
with local law enforcement and emergency management agencies; to provide for the purpose,5
content, and minimum standards of such key boxes; to provide for policies and regulation;6
to provide for the creation and maintenance of records; to provide for immunity from civil7
liability; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.8
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:9
SECTION 1.10
Article 27 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to11
loitering at or disrupting schools, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as12
follows:13
"20-2-1186.
14
(a) The local board of education or other governing body of each public and private15
elementary and secondary school in this state shall be authorized to provide for the16
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installation at each school building of at least one exterior key box that meets or exceeds17
Underwriters Laboratories Standard 1037.18
(b) Each key box required by subsection (a) of this Code section shall:19
(1) Be installed at an appropriate location for permitting local law enforcement officers20
and emergency management personnel emergency access to such building, the precise21
location of which shall be determined by such local board of education or other governing22
body in collaboration with local law enforcement agencies and local emergency23
management agencies of the jurisdiction in which such school building is located; and24
(2) Contain:25
(A) Such keys and other access control devices as are necessary to access each building26
and room located on the entire school grounds; and27
(B) Accurate maps of the entire school grounds that:28
(i) Identify and label access points to each building's interior, including, but not29
limited to, rooms, doors, stairwells, and hallways, each of which shall include any30
identifiers or names utilized by staff and students;31
(ii) Identify and label locations of critical utilities, key boxes, automated external32
defibrillators, and trauma kits or other emergency response aids; and33
(iii) Identify and label areas at or near each building, including parking areas, athletic34
fields, surrounding roads, outbuildings, and neighboring properties.35
(c)(1) The local board of education or other governing body of each public and private36
elementary and secondary school in this state shall adopt such policies and procedures37
as are necessary to implement the provisions of this Code section.38
(2) Each local board of education or other governing body of each public and private39
school that elects to provide for the installation of a key box as provided for in this Code40
section shall establish key audit mechanisms and processes in collaboration with local41
law enforcement officers and emergency management personnel to ensure the creation42
and maintenance of a record of each instance such key box is accessed.43
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(d) Information to be included with any key box required by subsection (a) of this Code44
section shall be exempt from public disclosure to the extent provided in Code Section45
50-18-72.46
(e)(1) Local boards of education, other public and private school governing bodies, local47
school systems, other public and private schools, and local governments and agencies48
shall be immune from civil liability for any damages arising out of the installation and49
use of key boxes required by subsection (a) of this Code section.50
(2) Employees of local boards of education, other public and private school governing51
bodies, local school systems, other public and private schools, and local governments and52
agencies shall be immune from civil liability for any damages arising out of the53
installation and use of key boxes required by subsection (a) of this Code section unless54
it is shown that such employee acted with gross negligence or bad faith."55
SECTION 2.56
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.57
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