The proposed bill would amend current statutes by adding a new section, 15-154.03, to the Arizona Revised Statutes, which mandates that each school district and charter school establish and maintain interoperable communications capabilities. This includes mechanisms for real-time notification of local law enforcement during emergencies, secure transmission of school maps and floor plans, and real-time communication with law enforcement. Additionally, the bill requires annual affidavits from school districts and charter schools to confirm compliance with these requirements, including testing of communication mechanisms.

Furthermore, the bill outlines the responsibilities of the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) to develop guidelines and compile the submitted affidavits, as well as to provide an annual interoperability readiness report to state officials. It also stipulates that local law enforcement agencies must notify and offer funding to schools within their jurisdiction to support the establishment of these communications capabilities. The bill exempts schools from creating new systems if they already utilize an existing secure communications system funded by the School Safety Interoperability Fund that meets the new requirements.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 15-154.03
Senate Engrossed Version: 15-154.03
House Engrossed Version: 15-154.03