This bill mandates that all public school districts and open-enrollment public charter schools in Arkansas provide their employees with a wearable panic alert system device, starting from the 2025-2026 school year. The governing authorities of these educational institutions are required to implement a system that integrates with local Public Safety Answering Point infrastructure to facilitate 911 calls and campus-wide lockdown notifications. Additionally, each employee must receive training on the proper use of the device before the start of each school year.
Furthermore, the bill stipulates that security data within these schools must be accessible to local law enforcement agencies, and it outlines the types of security information that are not considered public records under the Freedom of Information Act. This includes any records related to the physical security or fire safety of school facilities. The Department of Education is also authorized to adopt rules to ensure the effective implementation of this legislation.