---
title: HB 643. Education; install key boxes at each school building in locations determined in collaboration with local law enforcement; provide
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb643
cite_as: HB 643, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb643
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb643.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb643/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70842
date: 2025-02-28
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: 129
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb643.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 643
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2025-02-26
last_action: House Second Readers
sponsors:
- Rick Townsend
- Scott Hilton
- Bethany Ballard
- Carmen Rice
- Matt Dubnik
- Lynn Heffner
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB643/2025
upstream_id: 1985797
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- school safety
- emergency response
- open records exemptions
- local school boards
- liability protection
---
# HB 643. Education; install key boxes at each school building in locations determined in collaboration with local law enforcement; provide
## Text
House Bill 643
By: Representatives Townsend of the 179th, Hilton of the 48th, Ballard of the 147th, Rice of
the 139th, Dubnik of the 29th, and others
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 provide for 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 in locations determined in collaboration
with local law enforcement and emergency management agencies; to provide for the purpose,
content, and minimum standards of such key boxes; to provide for policies and regulation;
to provide for the creation and maintenance of records; 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:
"20-2-1186.
(a) The local board of education or other governing body of each public and private
elementary and secondary school in this state shall be authorized to provide for the
installation at each school building of at least one exterior key box that meets or exceeds
Underwriters Laboratories Standard 1037.
(b) Each key box required by subsection (a) of this Code section shall:
(1) Be installed at an appropriate location for permitting local law enforcement officers
and emergency management personnel emergency access to such building, the precise
location of which shall be determined by such local board of education or other governing
body in collaboration with local law enforcement agencies and local emergency
management agencies of the jurisdiction in which such school building is located; and
(2) Contain:
(A) Such keys and other access control devices as are necessary to access each building
and room located on the entire school grounds; and
(B) Accurate maps of the entire school grounds that:
(i) Identify and label access points to each building's interior, including, but not
limited to, rooms, doors, stairwells, and hallways, each of which shall include any
identifiers or names utilized by staff and students;
(ii) Identify and label locations of critical utilities, key boxes, automated external
defibrillators, and trauma kits or other emergency response aids; and
(iii) Identify and label areas at or near each building, including parking areas, athletic
fields, surrounding roads, outbuildings, and neighboring properties.
(c)(1) 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.
(2) Each local board of education or other governing body of each public and private
school that elects to provide for the installation of a key box as provided for in this Code
section shall establish key audit mechanisms and processes in collaboration with local
law enforcement officers and emergency management personnel to ensure the creation
and maintenance of a record of each instance such key box is accessed.
(d) Information to be included with any key box required by subsection (a) of this Code
section shall be exempt from public disclosure to the extent provided in Code Section
50-18-72.
(e)(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 required by 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 required by 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 let public and private school boards install exterior key boxes at each school building, giving local police and emergency crews fast access during emergencies.
### Plain-language summary
Under current Georgia law, there is no specific statute addressing exterior key boxes at schools that allow emergency responders quick access to buildings. This bill would add a new section to the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-1186) authorizing local boards of education and private school governing bodies to install at least one exterior key box at each school building.
The box's location would be chosen jointly with local law enforcement and emergency management agencies. It would need to meet a safety standard (Underwriters Laboratories Standard 1037) and contain keys, access devices, and detailed maps showing building entry points, utilities, defibrillators, and nearby areas like parking lots and athletic fields. Schools that install key boxes must create policies, track each time the box is accessed, and keep those records. Contents would be shielded from public records requests, and schools, school systems, local governments, and their employees would be immune from civil lawsuits over the boxes unless an employee acted with gross negligence or bad faith.
### What it does
- Authorizes (but does not require) local school boards and private school governing bodies to install exterior key boxes at each school building.
- Requires key box locations to be chosen jointly with local law enforcement and emergency management agencies.
- Sets minimum standards for what the key boxes must contain, including keys, access devices, and detailed campus maps.
- Requires schools that install key boxes to adopt policies and track every time a box is accessed.
- Exempts key box information from public disclosure under Georgia's open records law (O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72).
- Grants civil immunity to schools, local governments, and their employees for damages related to the key boxes, unless an employee acted with gross negligence or bad faith.
### Who it affects
Public and private elementary and secondary schools in Georgia, local boards of education and school governing bodies, local law enforcement and emergency management agencies, and school and local government employees who could face limited liability protections.
### Why it matters
If schools choose to install these key boxes, police and emergency responders could get inside buildings faster during emergencies using pre-placed keys and maps. Schools would take on new recordkeeping duties, and the boxes' contents would stay out of public records, while liability protections would shield schools and staff from most related lawsuits.
### Key provisions
- Adds new O.C.G.A. § 20-2-1186 authorizing, but not mandating, installation of exterior key boxes at each school building.
- Subsection (b) requires key box placement to be chosen with local law enforcement and emergency management input and sets required contents, including keys and detailed campus maps.
- Subsection (c) requires schools that install key boxes to adopt implementation policies and maintain access-audit records with law enforcement.
- Subsection (d) exempts key box information from public disclosure under Georgia's open records law (O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72).
- Subsection (e) grants civil immunity to schools, school systems, local governments, and employees for damages from key box installation and use, except for gross negligence or bad faith by employees.
- Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2025-02-26)
- Last action: House Second Readers (2025-02-28)
- Sponsors: Rick Townsend, Scott Hilton, Bethany Ballard, Carmen Rice, Matt Dubnik, Lynn Heffner
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70842
> The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb643.md?full=1