H 5179

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
Bill 5179
Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)
Indicates Matter
Stricken
Indicates New Matter
Committee Amendment Adopted and Amended
April 29, 2026
H. 5179
Introduced by Reps. Erickson, McGinnis, Garvin,
Grant, Yow, C. Mitchell, Wooten and King
S. Printed 4/29/26--S.
Read the first time March 4, 2026
________
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 LAW
ENFORCEMENT DIVISION FOR THE PURPOSE OF FACILITATING EFFICIENT EMERGENCY
RESPONSES IN PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING BY PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES,
TO DEFINE NECESSARY TERMS, TO PROVIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PROGRAM AND ITS
IMPLEMENTATION BY THE DIVISION, AND TO PROVIDE RELATED REQUIREMENTS OF
INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.
    Amend Title To Conform
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" is defined pursuant
to Section 59-103-5.
    (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 State Law Enforcement Division (SLED). Subject to funding, SLED
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 SLED and in consultation with the
Center for School Safety and Targeted Violence within SLED, 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.
       (3)
To ensure that campus mapping data used by law enforcement and emergency
response agencies remains accurate and current, each public institution of
higher learning shall, at least once every two years, review all campus
facilities and infrastructure, including athletic facilities and branch
campuses, to identify material changes, renovations, additions, or updates and
shall report such changes to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and
the mapping vendor under contract pursuant to this section, provided that
nothing herein prohibits more frequent coordination or updates as necessary.
    (C)
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 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.
    (D)
In any given fiscal year and subject to available dedicated funding after the
initial contract period, the State Law Enforcement Division shall be
responsible for the annual cost of maintenance, which may not exceed fifteen
percent of the initial cost of the mapping.
SECTION 2.  Chapter 101, Title 59 of the S.C. Code is amended by
adding:
    Section
59-101-700.  (A) For purposes of
this section:
       (1)
"Employee" means any individual employed by an institution of higher education
on a full-time, part-time, temporary, or contractual basis.
       (2)
"Business with which he is associated" means any business, trade, profession,
membership, appointment, elected position or other commercial activity
conducted for compensation by an employee other than the employee's official
duties with the institution.
    (B)
Every public institution of higher learning, as defined in Section 59-103-5,
shall establish and maintain a secure, electronic reporting system for each
employee to annually disclose any business with which he is associated.
    (C)
On or before December thirty-first of each year, every employee shall submit a
disclosure through the reporting system listing:
       (1)
any business with which he is associated;
       (2)
the name of the business; and
       (3)
a general description of the type of work or services performed for the
business.
    (D)
Each institution shall ensure that the reporting system maintains the
confidentiality and security of all submitted information.
    (E)
An institution shall adopt policies and procedures necessary to implement and
enforce the requirements of this section, including provisions addressing
noncompliance. A copy of those policies and procedures shall be provided to the
Chairman of the House Education and Public Works Committee and the Chairman of
the Senate Education Committee upon adoption and upon any subsequent
amendments.
    (F)
Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit an employee from
engaging in any outside business activities unless otherwise restricted by
state law or institutional policy.
SECTION 3.  This act takes effect upon approval
by the Governor.
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This web page was last updated on April 29, 2026 at 09:28 PM