South Carolina H 4740: Kathy Maness, service to NLC

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 4740 Text of Previous Version (Dec. 17, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 4740

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 
59-101-440 SO AS TO CREATE THE SCHOOL MAPPING DATA PROGRAM WITHIN THE STATE 
COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF FACILITATING EFFICIENT 
EMERGENCY RESPONSES IN CERTAIN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING BY PUBLIC SAFETY 
AGENCIES, TO DEFINE NECESSARY TERMS, TO PROVIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PROGRAM 
AND ITS IMPLEMENTATION BY THE COMMISSION, AND TO PROVIDE RELATED REQUIREMENTS 
OF INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES.

Be it enacted by the 
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Article 1, Chapter 101, Title 59 of the S.C. Code is 
amended by adding:

 Section 
59-101-440. (A) For purposes of 
this section:

 (1) 
"School mapping data" means information collected pursuant to this section in 
an electronic or a digital format and provided to assist first responders in 
responding to emergencies in an institution of higher learning.

 (2) 
"Institution of higher learning" means:

 (a) 
state-supported colleges and universities enumerated in Section 59-101-10;

 (b) 
state-supported technical institutions under the jurisdiction of the State 
Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education; and

 (c) 
private historically black colleges and universities in this State, which are 
Allen University, Claflin University, Clinton College, Morris College, and 
Voorhees College.

 (B)(1) To facilitate efficient emergency 
responses in institutions of higher learning by public safety agencies in this 
State, the School Mapping Data Program is established as a statewide initiative 
within the Commission on Higher Education. Subject to funding, the commission 
shall contract with a vendor to provide school mapping data for each 
institution of higher learning in the State. The data must be provided to the 
institution, local law enforcement agencies, and public safety agencies for use 
in response to emergencies. For purposes of this section, emergencies include, 
but are not limited to, any event in which a law enforcement officer, 
firefighter, rescue squad, emergency medical service provider, public safety 
telecommunicator, or any other emergency management provider may respond.

 (2) 
In addition to requirements set forth by the commission and in consultation 
with the Center for School Safety and Targeted Violence within the State Law 
Enforcement Division, school mapping data must:

 (a) 
be compatible with software platforms used by local, county, state, and federal 
public safety agencies that provide emergency services to the specific 
institution of higher learning for which the data is provided without requiring 
such agencies to purchase additional software or requiring a fee to view or 
access the data;

 (b) 
be compatible with security software platforms in use by the specific 
institution for which the data is provided without requiring the local law 
enforcement agencies or institutions to purchase additional software or 
requiring a fee to view or access the data; and

 (c) 
provide that any updates to school mapping data as defined by this section must 
be accessible within software platforms used by local, county, state, and 
federal public safety agencies that provide emergency services to the specific 
institution.

 (C) 
The commission shall pay annual maintenance fees to update school maps to 
ensure the floor plans and aerial imagery are accurate and up-to-date.

 (D) 
School mapping data provided to institutions, local law enforcement agencies, 
and public safety agencies for use in response to emergencies pursuant to this 
section must be regarded as confidential information. A private institution of 
higher learning or a private security provider used by a public institution of 
higher learning to provide campus security may not disclose such information 
except pursuant to a court order. A public body in possession of such 
information:

 (1) 
may not disclose such information pursuant to a request under the South 
Carolina Freedom of Information Act; and

 (2) 
only may disclose such information pursuant to the procedures established in 
Section 23-50-45.

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval 
by the Governor.

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This web page was last updated on December 17, 2025 at 01:44 PM