---
title: HB 1327. Education; install key boxes at each school building in locations determined in collaboration with local law enforcement; provide
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb1327
cite_as: HB 1327, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1327
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1327.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1327/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73258
date: 2026-03-03
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 199
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1327.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 1327
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-02-17
last_action: House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
sponsors:
- Jason Ridley
- Clint Crowe
- James Burchett
- Chuck Efstration
- Rob Leverett
text_version: Comm Sub
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB1327/2025
upstream_id: 2118574
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- school safety
- emergency response
- law enforcement access
- education law
- liability protection
---
# HB 1327. Education; install key boxes at each school building in locations determined in collaboration with local law enforcement; provide
## Text
The House Committee on Education offers the following substitute to HB 1327:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Article 27 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to loitering at or disrupting schools, so as to require the local board of education or
other governing body of each public and private elementary and secondary school in this
state to install key boxes at each school building; to provide for an exception; to provide for
the purpose, content, and minimum standards of such key boxes; to provide for policies and
procedures; to provide for immunity from civil liability; to provide for related matters; to
repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Article 27 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
loitering at or disrupting schools, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as
follows:
"20-2-1187.
(a) Unless a local board of education or other governing body has implemented a
documented and formal process for the implementation of a rapid access program for first
responders that enables the law enforcement officers, who are most likely to be the first to
respond to an emergency, with access to any locked external or internal door locks, the
local board of education or other governing body of each public and private elementary and
secondary school in this state shall provide for the installation at each school of at least one
exterior key box that meets or exceeds Underwriters Laboratories Standard 1037.
(b) Each key box under subsection (a) of this Code section shall:
(1) Be installed at an appropriate location for permitting local law enforcement officers
emergency access to such building, the precise location of which shall be determined by
such local board of education or other governing body; and
(2) Contain such keys and other access control devices as are necessary to access each
building and room located on the entire school grounds.
(c) The local board of education or other governing body of each public and private
elementary and secondary school in this state shall adopt such policies and procedures as
are necessary to implement the provisions of this Code section.
(d)(1) Local boards of education, other public and private school governing bodies, local
school systems, other public and private schools, and local governments and agencies
shall be immune from civil liability for any damages arising out of the installation and
use of key boxes under subsection (a) of this Code section.
(2) Employees of local boards of education, other public and private school governing
bodies, local school systems, other public and private schools, and local governments and
agencies shall be immune from civil liability for any damages arising out of the
installation and use of key boxes under subsection (a) of this Code section unless it is
shown that such employee acted with gross negligence or bad faith."
SECTION 2.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.
A Georgia House bill would require every public and private K-12 school to install a key box giving local law enforcement quick access to campus buildings during emergencies, unless the school already has an equivalent rapid-access program.
### Plain-language summary
Currently there is no statewide requirement that Georgia schools give first responders a fast way to get inside locked buildings during an emergency. This bill adds a new section to Georgia law (O.C.G.A. ยง 20-2-1187) requiring local school boards and other governing bodies of every public and private elementary and secondary school to install at least one exterior key box at each school building, unless the school already has a documented rapid-access program that gives first-responding officers a similar way in.
The key box must meet a specific safety standard (Underwriters Laboratories Standard 1037), be placed where local police say it should go, and hold keys or access devices for every building and room on the school grounds. School boards must adopt policies to carry this out. The bill also shields schools, local governments, and their employees from civil lawsuits over the key boxes' installation or use, unless an employee acted with gross negligence or in bad faith.
### What it does
- Requires local school boards and governing bodies of every public and private K-12 school in Georgia to install at least one exterior key box at each school building.
- Exempts schools that already have a documented rapid-access program giving first-responding law enforcement officers similar emergency access to locked doors.
- Sets a technical standard for the key boxes (Underwriters Laboratories Standard 1037) and requires them to hold keys or access devices for every building and room on campus.
- Requires local law enforcement input on where each key box is placed and requires school boards to adopt implementing policies.
- Grants schools, local governments, and their employees immunity from civil lawsuits over key box installation or use, except when an employee acts with gross negligence or bad faith.
### Who it affects
Public and private elementary and secondary schools and their governing boards, local school systems, local law enforcement agencies that help choose key box locations, and school and government employees who would gain immunity from certain lawsuits over the key boxes.
### Why it matters
If enacted, schools without an existing rapid-access system would have to add a physical way for police to enter locked buildings quickly during emergencies such as an active shooter situation, potentially speeding up response times, while also limiting the schools' legal exposure for using the boxes.
### Key provisions
- Adds new Code section 20-2-1187 to Georgia law under the article governing loitering at or disrupting schools.
- Subsection (a) requires an exterior key box meeting UL Standard 1037 unless the school already has a formal rapid-access program for first responders.
- Subsection (b) requires the key box location be chosen for emergency police access and requires it to contain keys or devices for the entire campus.
- Subsection (c) requires school boards to adopt policies and procedures to implement the key box requirement.
- Subsection (d) grants civil immunity to schools, local governments, and agencies for damages from the key boxes, and immunity to their employees unless gross negligence or bad faith is shown.
- Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2026-02-17)
- Last action: House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (2026-03-03)
- Sponsors: Jason Ridley, Clint Crowe, James Burchett, Chuck Efstration, Rob Leverett
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73258
> The history, votes, and amendments (199 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1327.md?full=1