REFERENCE TITLE: public schools; panic alarm; requirement |
State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-fifth Legislature Second Regular Session 2022
|
HB 2683 |
|
Introduced by Representatives Hernandez D: Payne
|
AN ACT
amending Title 15, chapter 1, article 5, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 15-160.02; relating to school safety requirements.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Title 15, chapter 1, article 5, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 15-160.02, to read:
15-160.02. Panic alarms; alternative emergency mechanisms; rules; definition
A. Except as prescribed in subsection D of this section, each public school building must be equipped with at least one panic alarm for use in a school security emergency, including a nonfire evacuation, a lockdown or an active shooter situation. The panic alarm must meet all of the following requirements:
1. Be directly linked to local law enforcement authorities or, in the case of a school building located in a municipality in which there is no municipal police department, a location designated by the department of public safety.
2. Be able to Immediately transmit a signal or message to the authorities prescribed in paragraph 1 of this subsection on activation.
3. Not be audible within the school building.
B. Each panic alarm required by this section must adhere to nationally recognized industry standards, including the standards of both:
1. A national fire protection association.
2. A global safety science leader that provides the expertise, insights and services necessary to solve critical business challenges and helps customers achieve their safety, security and sustainability goals, meet quality and performance expectations, manage risk and achieve regulatory compliance.
C. only a person that is licensed to engage in the alarm business may install a panic alarm required by this section.
D. A public school may equip its buildings with an emergency mechanism that is an alternative to a panic alarm if the mechanism is approved by the department of education.
E. A portion of any monies received for school safety must be used to fund the full cost of the panic alarms or alternative emergency mechanisms required by this section. A school district or charter school that, before the effective date of this section, installed a panic alarm or alternative emergency mechanism approved by the department of education in any public school building may be reimbursed for those costs.
F. The state board of education shall adopt rules to carry out the purposes of this section.
G. For the purposes of this section, "panic alarm" means a silent security system signal generated by manually activating a device intended to signal a life-threatening or emergency situation requiring a response from law enforcement.
Sec. 2. Short title
This act may be cited as "Alyssa's Law".