H 4740

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
Bill 4740
Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)
A bill
TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION
59-101-440 SO AS TO CREATE THE SCHOOL MAPPING DATA PROGRAM WITHIN THE STATE
COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF FACILITATING EFFICIENT
EMERGENCY RESPONSES IN CERTAIN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING BY PUBLIC SAFETY
AGENCIES, TO DEFINE NECESSARY TERMS, TO PROVIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PROGRAM
AND ITS IMPLEMENTATION BY THE COMMISSION, AND TO PROVIDE RELATED REQUIREMENTS
OF INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.
Be it enacted by the
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1.  Article 1, Chapter 101, Title 59 of the S.C. Code is
amended by adding:
    Section
59-101-440.  (A) For purposes of
this section:
       (1)
"School mapping data" means information collected pursuant to this section in
an electronic or a digital format and provided to assist first responders in
responding to emergencies in an institution of higher learning.
       (2)
"Institution of higher learning" means:
  (a)
state-supported colleges and universities enumerated in Section 59-101-10;
  (b)
state-supported technical institutions under the jurisdiction of the State
Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education; and
  (c)
private historically black colleges and universities in this State, which are
Allen University, Claflin University, Clinton College, Morris College, and
Voorhees College.
    (B)(1) To facilitate efficient emergency
responses in institutions of higher learning by public safety agencies in this
State, the School Mapping Data Program is established as a statewide initiative
within the Commission on Higher Education. Subject to funding, the commission
shall contract with a vendor to provide school mapping data for each
institution of higher learning in the State. The data must be provided to the
institution, local law enforcement agencies, and public safety agencies for use
in response to emergencies. For purposes of this section, emergencies include,
but are not limited to, any event in which a law enforcement officer,
firefighter, rescue squad, emergency medical service provider, public safety
telecommunicator, or any other emergency management provider may respond.
       (2)
In addition to requirements set forth by the commission and in consultation
with the Center for School Safety and Targeted Violence within the State Law
Enforcement Division, school mapping data must:
  (a)
be compatible with software platforms used by local, county, state, and federal
public safety agencies that provide emergency services to the specific
institution of higher learning for which the data is provided without requiring
such agencies to purchase additional software or requiring a fee to view or
access the data;
  (b)
be compatible with security software platforms in use by the specific
institution for which the data is provided without requiring the local law
enforcement agencies or institutions to purchase additional software or
requiring a fee to view or access the data; and
  (c)
provide that any updates to school mapping data as defined by this section must
be accessible within software platforms used by local, county, state, and
federal public safety agencies that provide emergency services to the specific
institution.
    (C)
The commission shall pay annual maintenance fees to update school maps to
ensure the floor plans and aerial imagery are accurate and up-to-date.
    (D)
School mapping data provided to institutions, local law enforcement agencies,
and public safety agencies for use in response to emergencies pursuant to this
section must be regarded as confidential information. A private institution of
higher learning or a private security provider used by a public institution of
higher learning to provide campus security may not disclose such information
except pursuant to a court order. A public body in possession of such
information:
       (1)
may not disclose such information pursuant to a request under the South
Carolina Freedom of Information Act; and
       (2)
only may disclose such information pursuant to the procedures established in
Section 23-50-45.
SECTION 2.  This act takes effect upon approval
by the Governor.
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This web page was last updated on December 17, 2025 at 01:44 PM