What's happening
This bill requires New York to create a statewide emergency planning and mapping system for schools to aid first responders during crises.
Why it matters
Enhances responder preparedness and coordination. By standardizing and digitizing critical information (floor plans, evacuation routes, utility info, hazards, etc.) for all schools, the system ensures first responders have rapid, detailed situational awareness in emergencies, potentially saving lives and reducing confusion.
Mandates ongoing participation and improvement. State agencies and local governments are required to not only adopt the system, but also submit annual progress reports, ensuring continuous evaluation, feedback, and system updates reflecting real-world experiences and evolving threats.
Promotes statewide consistency while supporting local flexibility. While the state sets standards for software and data, local agencies can keep their own systems until funding is available for integration—minimizing disruption and respecting existing investments.
Secures funding and prioritizes high-need areas. The division is tasked with seeking federal and private funding and distributing resources based on priority needs, potentially accelerating implementation in the most vulnerable or high-risk schools first.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Map School Emergency Plans
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
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History
- Referred to governmental operations
- Referred to governmental operations
Full text
3 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
7177
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
April 10, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. ORTIZ -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to public safety and requiring the division of homeland security and emergency services to establish a statewide planning and mapping system for the schools, colleges and universities of the state
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 719 to read as follows:
§ 719. Statewide critical incident mapping and planning system. 1. To the extent that funds are made available, the division of homeland security and emergency services shall establish a statewide planning and mapping system for the public and private schools, colleges and universities in this state for use by response agencies that are called to respond to an act of terrorism, criminal attack, or related emergency.
2. The statewide planning and mapping system must include, without limitation:
a. the type of information that must be included within the software program that comprises the system, including, without limitation, floor plans, fire protection information, building evacuation plans, utility information, known hazards, and information on how to contact emergency personnel;
b. the manner by which information prescribed pursuant to paragraph a of this subdivision must be transferred to the system from the state agencies and the political subdivisions that participate in the system;
c. standards for the software that must be used by state agencies and political subdivisions that participate in the system;
d. conditions for use of the system by response agencies;
e. guidelines for (i) the accessibility and confidentiality of information contained within the system; and (ii) the incorporation, in
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11094-01-9
A. 7177 2
connection with the use of the system, of the items described in paragraph b of subdivision three of this section;
f. a list of priority, determined in accordance with information obtained by the division of homeland security and emergency services, for the distribution of any money that may be available for the state agencies and political subdivisions to participate in the system; and
g. guidelines recommended by the division of homeland security and emergency services for the training of persons employed by response agencies concerning the use of the system.
3. To the extent money is made available, the state agencies and political subdivisions shall:
a. participate in the statewide planning and mapping system; and
b. incorporate into their use of the system, without limitation:
(i) evacuation routes and strategies for evacuation;
(ii) alarms and other signals or means of notification;
(iii) plans for sheltering in place; and
(iv) training and strategies for prevention in connection with attacks involving violence.
If a state agency or political subdivision uses its own planning and mapping system before the division of homeland security and emergency services establishes a statewide planning and mapping system, the state agency or political subdivision may continue to use its system unless money is made available for the state agency or political subdivision to update or modify its system as necessary for inclusion in the statewide system.
4. The division of homeland security and emergency services shall pursue any money that may be available from the federal government for the development and operation of a statewide planning and mapping system for public and private schools, colleges and universities and for the distribution of grants to the state agencies and political subdivisions that participate in the system. The division of homeland security and emergency services may accept gifts, grants, and other contributions for the development and operation of a statewide planning and mapping system.
5. Each state agency and political subdivision that participates in the system shall, on or before July first, two thousand twenty-one, and on or before July first each year thereafter, submit to the division of homeland security and emergency services a progress report setting forth, in accordance with regulations adopted by the division, the experience of the agency or political subdivision, as applicable, with respect to its participation in the system. The division of homeland security and emergency services shall receive and process such progress reports and provide to the legislature a summarized overview of the system on or before October first, two thousand twenty-one, and each October first thereafter.
6. After the statewide planning and mapping system is established pursuant to this section, each state agency and political subdivision that participates in the system shall submit to the division of homeland security and emergency services any initial or final plan for a public work project.
7. As used in this section:
a. "act of terrorism" shall have the same meaning as defined in section 490.05 of the penal law.
b. "criminal attack" shall mean any violent felony offense as defined by section 70.02 of the penal law, committed against more than two persons at a public or private school.
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c. "political subdivision" means any county, city, town, village, special district or school district.
d. "response agency" means the departments of fire, police, environmental protection, health, transportation and sanitation, and the division of emergency medical services of the health and hospitals corporation.
e. "sheltering in place" means to remain inside a building, room, structure, or other location during an emergency when egress may be impossible or when egress may present a more substantial risk than remaining inside the building, room, structure, or other location.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.