20-2-1186. Emergency alert response system for schools.

Subject to appropriations, the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency shall establish an emergency alert response system to be provided to public elementary and secondary schools in this state that allows a public elementary or secondary school to communicate with local school systems about threats made on or impacting a school campus or emergency procedures initiated upon a school campus due to an active threat to safety.#

Subject to appropriations, the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency shall establish a secure state-wide alert system for use by public elementary and secondary schools in this state to report and monitor incidents of safety threats made on or impacting a school campus. The name of any person who threatens the safety of a school shall be included in such system; provided, however, that no student’s name shall be entered on any such system until the threat to school safety has been investigated and verified by local law enforcement and the student has been evaluated by a certificated school social worker from the local school system, if any are employed by the local school system. The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency shall develop standards for determining when a verified threat qualifies for inclusion of a person within the system and a method for petitioning for removal from any system developed pursuant to this subsection. Any such standards and method may include a required evaluation of the student by a certificated school social worker. Such alert system shall be accessible only to designated personnel at each public elementary or secondary school in this state. When a student has been added to the alert system established pursuant to this subsection, the local school system shall provide the parents or guardians of such student with recommendations for counseling or other services.#