Senate Bill 2497

AN ACT TO CREATE A STATEWIDE FIRST RESPONDER BUILDING MAPPING INFORMATION SYSTEM; TO REQUIRE ALL STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT-OWNED BUILDINGS THAT ARE OCCUPIED BY STATE OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES TO BE MAPPED WHEN FUNDING IS PROVIDED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY; TO REQUIRE ALL STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS THAT ARE MAPPED TO FORWARD THEIR BUILDING MAPPING INFORMATION DATA TO THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY; TO PROVIDE CIVIL IMMUNITY TO ALL UNITS OF STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES FOR DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE CREATION AND USE OF THE STATEWIDE FIRST RESPONDER BUILDING MAPPING INFORMATION SYSTEM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. The Legislature recognizes the extreme dangers present when the safety of our citizens requires first responders such as police and fire fighters to evacuate and secure a building. In an effort to prepare for responding to unintended disasters, criminal acts and acts of terrorism, the Legislature intends to create a statewide first responder building mapping information system that will provide all first responders with the information they need to be successful when disaster strikes. The first responder building mapping system in this act is to be developed for a limited and specific purpose and is in no way to be construed as imposing standards or system requirements on any other mapping systems developed and used for any other local government purposes.

SECTION 2. (1) When funded, the Department of Public Safety shall create and operate a statewide first responder building mapping information system.

(2) All state agencies and local governments shall utilize building mapping software that complies with the building mapping software standards established under Section 3 of this act for any building mapped for this purpose after the statewide first responder building mapping information system is operational. If, prior to creation of the statewide building mapping information system, a local government has utilized building mapping

software standards established under Section 3 of this act, the local government may continue to use its own building mapping system unless the Department of Public Safety provides funding to bring the local government's system in compliance with the standards established under Section 3 of this act.

(3) All state and local government-owned buildings that are occupied by state or local government employees shall be mapped when funding is provided by the Department of Public Safety, or from other sources. Nothing in this act requires any state agency or local government to map a building unless the entire cost of mapping the building is provided by the Department of Public Safety, or from other sources.

(4) Once the statewide first responder building mapping information system is operational, all state and local government buildings that are mapped shall forward their building mapping information data to the Department of Public Safety. All participating privately, federally and tribally owned buildings may voluntarily forward their mapping and emergency information data to the Department of Public Safety. The Department of Public Safety may refuse any building mapping information that does not comply with the specifications described in Section 3 of this act.

(5) Consistent with the guidelines developed under Section 3 of this act, the Department of Public Safety shall

electronically make the building mapping information available to all state, local, federal, and tribal law enforcement agencies, the adjutant general, and fire departments.

(6) Consistent with the guidelines developed under Section 3 of this act, the Department of Public Safety shall develop

building mapping software standards that must be used to participate in the statewide first responder building mapping information system.

(7) The Department of Public Safety shall pursue federal funds to:

(a) Create the statewide first responder building mapping information system; and

(b) Develop grants for the mapping of all state and local government buildings in the order determined under Section 3 of this act.

SECTION 3. (1) The Department of Public Safety in

consultation with the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, the

Mississippi Association of County Officials, the Mississippi Municipal Association, the Department of Information Technology Services and the Mississippi Fire Chiefs' Association shall convene a committee to establish guidelines related to the statewide first responder building mapping information system. The committee shall have the following responsibilities:

(a) Develop the type of information to be included in the statewide first responder building mapping information system. The information shall include, but is not limited to: floor plans, fire protection information, evacuation plans, utility information, known hazards, and text and digital images showing emergency personnel contact information;

(b) Develop building mapping software standards that must be utilized by all entities participating in the statewide first responder building mapping information system;

(d) Develop guidelines on how the information shall be made available. These guidelines shall include detailed procedures and security systems to ensure that the information is only made available to the government entity that either owns the building or is responding to an incident at the building;

(e) Recommend training guidelines regarding using the statewide first responder building mapping information system to the criminal justice training commission and the Washington State Patrol Fire Protection Bureau; and

(f) Nothing in this section supersedes the authority of state agencies and local governments to control and maintain access to information within their independent systems.

SECTION 4. All units of state and local government and their employees are immune from civil liability for damages arising out of the creation and use of the statewide first responder building mapping information system, unless it is shown that an employee acted with gross negligence or bad faith.

SECTION 5. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2004.