HB 2328
In CommitteeHouse
School maps
Requiring the creation and maintenance of school maps in safe school plans.
This status may be delayed. See Action History below for the latest updates.
How does a bill become law?
- Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
- Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
- Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
- Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
- Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
- Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
AI Analysis
This bill requires Washington public school districts to create and maintain detailed, secure digital maps of their school facilities and make them available to local and state emergency responders. The maps must include accurate floor plans, site features, and safety infrastructure, and be compatible with first responders’ existing software. Sensitive mapping data is protected from public disclosure to ensure emergency response effectiveness and student safety.
- Requires school districts to create and maintain digital school maps that meet specific technical standards and provide them to local and state first responder agencies.
- Mandates that school maps include accurate floor plans, site-specific labeling of interior and exterior features (e.g., doors, stairwells, hazard locations), and elevation data, verified through on-site walk-throughs.
- Ensures school maps are interoperable with first responders’ existing software platforms without requiring new software purchases or licenses.
- Classifies all school mapping data as non-public, exempt from public disclosure under the Public Records Act to protect security and safety.
- Requires school districts to include mapping in their comprehensive safe school plans, which must be reviewed and updated annually in coordination with local emergency agencies.
Who is affected
- Public school districts — Must create and maintain digital school maps that meet specific technical standards and provide them to local and state emergency responders.
- Local and state first responder agencies (e.g., police, fire, emergency management) — Will receive standardized, secure digital maps of schools to support faster and more coordinated emergency response.
- Students, families, and school staff — Benefit from improved safety planning and drills, and gain confidence that schools have up-to-date emergency preparedness tools.
- Emergency management agencies (e.g., county emergency management, fire departments) — May be required to coordinate with school districts on mapping and emergency planning, especially if they serve as first responders.
Pro/Con Analysis
Stronger case for benefits
Potential Benefits (4)
Standardized, interoperable digital maps will significantly improve first responders’ situational awareness during emergencies — enabling faster, more accurate decisions during active shooter, fire, or natural disaster events — directly enhancing student, staff, and responder safety.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 2(2)(j), Sec. 3(1), Sec. 3(2)(c)(v), Sec. 3(3)(a)Mandating on-site walk-throughs and site-specific labeling (e.g., hazard locations, AEDs, key boxes) ensures maps reflect real-world conditions — critical for effective evacuation, lockdown, and medical response — reducing response time and improving outcomes in high-stakes scenarios.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 2(2)(j), Sec. 3(2)(c)(i)-(v), Sec. 3(3)(a)Requiring interoperability without additional software costs removes a major barrier to adoption — ensuring small or rural districts with limited IT budgets can still participate in the system without incurring prohibitive expenses.
Local GovernmentPeopleRef: Sec. 2(2)(j), Sec. 3(1)(a)-(c)Annual review and coordination with emergency agencies, combined with non-disclosure protections, supports sustained preparedness and trust between schools and first responders — improving readiness without compromising security.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 2(2)(j), Sec. 2(3)(a), Sec. 3(3)(a)
Potential Concerns (4)
School districts must invest time and resources to create and maintain accurate digital maps, including on-site walk-throughs and software integration — a task that may strain district staff and budgets, especially in smaller or under-resourced districts, even if funding is appropriated.
Local GovernmentPeopleRef: Sec. 2(2)(j), Sec. 3(1)The bill imposes an ongoing operational burden on school districts to annually review, update, and coordinate mapping with emergency agencies — a recurring administrative cost that may divert staff time and attention from core instructional or support functions.
Local GovernmentPeopleRef: Sec. 2(2)(j) (‘subject to availability of amounts appropriated’), Sec. 2(3)(a) (annual review/update requirement)The requirement that map updates be synchronized with multiple external agency platforms may create technical friction and dependency on third-party software compatibility, increasing complexity and potential for delays or errors in map maintenance.
Local GovernmentLean peopleRef: Sec. 3(2)(d) (controls preventing independent modification of maps unless coordinated across agencies)Broadly classifying all school mapping data as non-public — including data that could inform community risk assessments — may reduce transparency and public oversight of school safety planning, limiting stakeholder ability to evaluate preparedness or advocate for improvements.
Rights & LibertiesLean peopleRef: Sec. 3(3)(a) (exemption from public disclosure for all school mapping data)
Who Is Most Affected
Students, families, and school staff benefit significantly — especially in high-risk zones (e.g., lahars, tsunami zones) — due to faster, more accurate emergency response and increased confidence in school safety infrastructure.
First responders gain immediate access to accurate, up-to-date floor plans and site features during emergencies — reducing response time, improving decision-making, and lowering risk to themselves and civilians.
School districts face new operational and technical responsibilities — including annual updates, walk-throughs, and interagency coordination — which may strain staff and budgets, especially in smaller or rural districts lacking dedicated IT or safety staff.
Emergency management agencies benefit from standardized, real-time data and shared situational awareness, but may need to invest in coordination time and possibly adapt existing protocols to integrate school maps.
Software vendors that supply mapping or emergency response platforms may benefit from increased demand for integration services or support, though the bill explicitly avoids requiring new software purchases — limiting direct financial gain.