---
title: SB 17. "Ricky and Alyssa's Law"; enact
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/sb17
cite_as: SB 17, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb17
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb17.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb17/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69393
date: 2026-03-31
status: engrossed
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: 1308
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb17.md?full=1
bill_number: SB 17
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: Senate
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2025-03-06
last_action: Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub As Amended
sponsors:
- Jason Anavitarte
- Clint Dixon
- Frank Ginn
- Steve Gooch
- Randy Robertson
- Matt Brass
- Chuck Hufstetler
- John Albers
- Bill Cowsert
- John Kennedy
- Carden Summers
- Bo Hatchett
- Brian Strickland
- Billy Hickman
- Mike Hodges
- Ricky Williams
- Larry Walker
- Marty Harbin
- Greg Dolezal
- Drew Echols
- Timothy Bearden
- Lee Anderson
- Sonya Halpern
- Jason Esteves
- Russ Goodman
- Ben Watson
- Max Burns
- Sam Watson
- Chuck Payne
- Holt Persinger
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB17/2025
upstream_id: 1922222
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- school safety
- panic alert systems
- 911 emergency response
- school mapping data
- education law
---
# SB 17. "Ricky and Alyssa's Law"; enact
## Text
The House Committee on Rules offers the following substitute to SB 17:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Article 11 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 and Article 10 of Chapter 3 of Title 38 of the
Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to public school property and facilities and
state-wide first responder building mapping information system, respectively, so as to enact
"Ricky and Alyssa's Law"; to require public schools to implement a mobile panic alert
system capable of connecting disparate emergency services technologies to ensure real-time
coordination between multiple state and local first responder agencies in the event of a school
security emergency; to provide for the implementation of additional strategies or systems;
to provide for exceptions; to require public schools to procure school mapping data; to
provide for requirements of such school mapping data; to authorize the Georgia Emergency
Management and Homeland Security Agency to adopt rules and regulations for the
requirements for school mapping data; to provide for immunity from civil liability; to
provide for a definition; to provide for related matters; to provide an effective date; to repeal
conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
This Act shall be known and may be cited as "Ricky and Alyssa's Law."
SECTION 2.
Article 11 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
public school property and facilities, is amended by adding a new part to read as follows:
"Part 4
20-2-590.
This part shall be known and may be cited as 'Ricky and Alyssa's Law.'
20-2-591.
(a) Not later than July 1, 2026, each public school shall implement a mobile panic alert
system capable of:
(1) Connecting disparate emergency services technologies to ensure real-time
coordination between multiple local and state law enforcement and first responder
agencies. Such system shall be known as the 'Alyssa's Alert' and shall integrate with the
technology used in each local public safety answering point, including, but not limited
to, Next Generation 9-1-1, as such term is defined in Code Section 38-3-181, to transmit
9-1-1 calls and mobile activations; and
(2) Integrating with the school mapping data required in Code Section 38-3-154.
(b) In addition to the requirements of subsection (a) of this Code section, each local school
system may implement additional strategies or systems to ensure real-time coordination
between multiple first responder agencies in the event of a school security emergency.
(c) No local school system shall be required to procure or implement new or additional
capabilities if, as of July 1, 2026, such local school system has a functioning mobile panic
alert system in place with capabilities that meet the requirements of subsection (a) of this
Code section."
SECTION 3.
Article 10 of Chapter 3 of Title 38 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
state-wide first responder building mapping information system, is amended by adding a new
paragraph to Code Section 38-3-151, relating to definitions, to read as follows:
"(4) 'School mapping data' means building information, floor plans, and aerial imagery
of any public school."
SECTION 4.
Said article is further amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:
"38-3-154.
(a) Not later than July 1, 2026, each public school shall procure school mapping data
which shall:
(1) Be in formats that conform to and integrate with software platforms utilized in local
public safety answering points and by local, state, and federal public safety agencies that
respond to emergencies at schools and that do not require such agencies to purchase
additional software or provide payment in order to view or access such data;
(2) Be in formats capable of being printed, shared electronically, and, if requested,
digitally integrated into interactive mobile platforms;
(3) Be verified for accuracy by July 1 each year by relevant public safety agencies,
school safety personnel, school administrators, or the entity producing such school
mapping data by means of an in-person inspection of each school;
(4) Identify and label access points of each building 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;
(5) Identify and label locations of critical utilities, key boxes, automated external
defibrillators, and trauma kits or other emergency response aids; and
(6) Identify and label areas at or near each school, including parking areas, athletic fields,
surrounding roads, outbuildings, and neighboring properties.
(b) Any future updates to school mapping data provided for in this Code section shall
conform to and integrate with software platforms utilized in local public safety answering
points and by local, state, and federal public safety agencies that provide emergency
services to each school.
(c) The agency shall be authorized to develop rules and regulations for the requirements
for school mapping data, including, but not limited to, standards for the use of school
mapping data, encryption of such data, and transmission of such data over secure methods
to law enforcement officers, firefighters, and other authorized emergency first responders.
(d) Local school systems shall collaborate with and receive concurrence from their primary
local law enforcement agency prior to procuring school mapping data to ensure such school
mapping data meets the requirements of this Code section.
(e) Information provided to the agency under this Code section shall be exempt from
public disclosure to the extent provided in Code Section 50-18-72.
(f)(1) Local boards of education, local school systems, public schools, and local
governments and agencies shall be immune from civil liability for any damages arising
out of the creation and use of the school mapping data.
(2) Employees of local boards of education, local school systems, and local governments
and agencies shall be immune from civil liability for any damages arising out of the
creation and use of the school mapping data unless it is shown that such employee acted
with gross negligence or bad faith."
SECTION 5.
This Act shall become effective July 1, 2025.
SECTION 6.
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.
Georgia's SB 17, called Ricky and Alyssa's Law, would require every public school to install a mobile panic alert system and provide detailed digital maps of school buildings to first responders by July 1, 2026.
### Plain-language summary
Georgia public schools currently have no statewide requirement to link their emergency systems directly with police, fire, and 911 dispatch, or to provide detailed building maps to first responders. This bill, named for victims of a school shooting, changes that. It requires every public school to implement a mobile panic alert system, called 'Alyssa's Alert,' that connects with Next Generation 9-1-1 and other emergency technology so multiple agencies can coordinate in real time during a school security emergency.
The bill also requires schools to procure detailed school mapping data, including floor plans, labeled access points, utility and safety equipment locations, and surrounding property layouts, verified annually through an in-person inspection. The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency may set rules for how this data is formatted and secured. Schools already meeting these standards by July 1, 2026 do not need new systems. The law grants immunity from civil liability for creating and using the mapping data and takes effect July 1, 2025.
### What it does
- Requires every Georgia public school to install a mobile panic alert system ('Alyssa's Alert') linked to local and state emergency responders by July 1, 2026.
- Requires the panic alert system to integrate with Next Generation 9-1-1 technology and with new school mapping data.
- Requires public schools to procure detailed school mapping data, including floor plans, labeled access points, utility locations, and surrounding areas, verified yearly by in-person inspection.
- Authorizes the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency to set rules for formatting, encrypting, and securely transmitting school mapping data.
- Exempts schools already meeting the panic alert requirements as of July 1, 2026 from procuring new systems.
- Grants civil liability immunity to school boards, school systems, local governments, and their employees for creating and using the mapping data, except in cases of gross negligence or bad faith.
### Who it affects
Public schools, local school systems, and school boards across Georgia; students and staff who would be protected by faster emergency response; local police, fire, and 911 dispatch agencies that must integrate with the new systems; and the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, which gains rulemaking authority.
### Why it matters
If a security emergency happens at a Georgia public school, this law aims to let police, fire, and dispatch coordinate faster using shared alert systems and detailed building maps. Schools face new deadlines and coordination duties, while officials and school systems gain legal protection from lawsuits over the mapping data.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 names the law 'Ricky and Alyssa's Law.'
- Section 2 adds Code Section 20-2-591, requiring schools to implement the 'Alyssa's Alert' mobile panic system by July 1, 2026, integrated with Next Generation 9-1-1 and school mapping data, with an exception for schools that already meet the standard.
- Section 3 adds a definition of 'school mapping data' to O.C.G.A. ยง 38-3-151, covering building information, floor plans, and aerial imagery.
- Section 4 adds Code Section 38-3-154, detailing required contents of school mapping data (access points, utilities, safety equipment, surrounding areas), annual verification, agency rulemaking authority, public disclosure exemptions, and civil liability immunity for school systems and employees absent gross negligence or bad faith.
- Section 5 sets the effective date as July 1, 2025.
- Section 6 repeals conflicting laws.
## Status
- Status: Engrossed (2025-03-06)
- Last action: Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub As Amended (2026-03-31)
- Sponsors: Jason Anavitarte, Clint Dixon, Frank Ginn, Steve Gooch, Randy Robertson, Matt Brass, Chuck Hufstetler, John Albers, Bill Cowsert, John Kennedy, Carden Summers, Bo Hatchett, Brian Strickland, Billy Hickman, Mike Hodges, Ricky Williams, Larry Walker, Marty Harbin, Greg Dolezal, Drew Echols, Timothy Bearden, Lee Anderson, Sonya Halpern, Jason Esteves, Russ Goodman, Ben Watson, Max Burns, Sam Watson, Chuck Payne, Holt Persinger
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69393
> The history, votes, and amendments (1,308 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb17.md?full=1