SB466: SB466 Local Board of Education; install key boxes at each school building in locations determined in collaboration with local law enforcement and emergency management agencies; require

Georgia law currently has no requirement for schools to have emergency key access boxes for first responders. This bill would add a new section to the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-1187) requiring local boards of education and private school governing bodies to install at least one exterior key box at each school building. The location of each box would be chosen jointly by the school system and local law enforcement and emergency management agencies, and the box would have to meet a national safety standard (Underwriters Laboratories Standard 1037) and hold keys or access devices for the whole campus. The requirement only kicks in if the General Assembly actually provides funding for it. Schools, local governments, and their employees would be shielded from civil lawsuits over installing or using the boxes, unless an employee acted with gross negligence or bad faith.

• Requires local boards of education and private school governing bodies to install at least one exterior emergency key box at each school building, but only if the General Assembly funds it.
• Sets a minimum safety standard for the boxes, requiring them to meet or exceed Underwriters Laboratories Standard 1037.
• Requires the exact placement of each box to be decided jointly by the school and local police and emergency management agencies.
• Requires each box to contain keys or access devices covering every building and room on the school grounds.
• Requires schools to adopt policies and procedures to carry out the key box requirement.
• Grants schools, local governments, and their employees immunity from civil lawsuits over the boxes, except when an employee acts with gross negligence or bad faith.

Public and private elementary and secondary schools in Georgia, local boards of education and other school governing bodies, local law enforcement and emergency management agencies, and school and government employees who would gain legal immunity related to the key boxes.

If funded, the bill would give police and emergency responders a standardized way to quickly enter school buildings during emergencies like an active shooter or fire, while protecting schools and staff from lawsuits tied to installing or using the boxes.

• Adds new Code section 20-2-1187 to Georgia's school loitering and disruption statute (Article 27 of Chapter 2 of Title 20).
• Subsection (a) makes the key box requirement contingent on the General Assembly appropriating funding for it.
• Subsection (b) requires the box location to be chosen with local law enforcement and emergency management input and to contain access devices for the entire campus.
• Subsection (c) requires local boards and school governing bodies to adopt implementing policies and procedures.
• Subsection (d) grants civil immunity to schools, local governments, and agencies, and to their employees unless gross negligence or bad faith is shown.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-02-06Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
2. 2026-02-05Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Timothy Bearden (R, SD-030)Primary sponsor
• John Albers (R, SD-056)

• school safety
• emergency response
• education funding
• local school boards