PRINTER'S NO. 3608
No. 2489 Session of 2004
INTRODUCED BY THOMAS, DAILEY, McILHINNEY, BELARDI, BELFANTI,
BUNT, CORRIGAN, CRUZ, DALEY, HENNESSEY, JAMES, JOSEPHS,
KIRKLAND, LEACH, MYERS, PALLONE, SAINATO, SCAVELLO,
SCRIMENTI, SOLOBAY, STEIL, TIGUE, WATERS AND YOUNGBLOOD,
MARCH 31, 2004
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, MARCH 31, 2004
AN ACT
1 Establishing a first responder building mapping system for
2 buildings of State agencies and political subdivisions; and
3 providing for the powers and duties of the Pennsylvania
4 Emergency Management Agency.
5 The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
6 (1) Extreme dangers are present when the safety of our
7 citizens requires first responders such as police and
8 firefighters to evacuate and secure a building.
9 (2) In an effort to prepare for responding to unintended
10 disasters, criminal acts and acts of terrorism a Statewide
11 first responder building mapping information system is needed
12 to provide all first responders with the information they
13 need to be successful when disaster strikes.
14 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
15 hereby enacts as follows:
16 Section 1. Short title.
17 This act shall be known and may be cited as the First
1 Responder Building Mapping System Act.
2 Section 2. Definitions.
3 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
4 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
5 context clearly indicates otherwise:
6 "Agency." The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.
7 "Office." The Office for Information Technology within the
8 Office of Administration.
9 "State agency." Any administrative department, board or
10 commission, independent administrative department, board or
11 commission, legislative service agency, the judiciary or
12 institution of higher education that receives funding from the
13 Commonwealth.
14 "System." The First Responder Building Mapping System
15 established in section 3.
16 Section 3. First Responder Building Mapping System.
17 (a) Establishment.--The agency, in consultation with the
18 office, shall establish and operate a Statewide first responder
19 building information system that shall be based on the Internet
20 through a secure World Wide Web site.
21 (b) Scope.--
22 (1) All State agencies and political subdivisions shall
23 utilize building mapping software that complies with the
24 building mapping data and software standards established
25 under section 4 for any building mapped for this purpose
26 after the system is operational.
27 (2) If, prior to establishment of the system, a
28 political subdivision has utilized building mapping data and
29 software standards established under section 4, the political
30 subdivision may continue to use its own building mapping
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1 system unless the agency provides funding to bring the
2 political subdivision's building mapping system in compliance
3 with the standards established under section 4.
4 (c) Buildings subject to system.--
5 (1) All buildings owned, leased or controlled by a State
6 agency or political subdivision that are occupied by State or
7 political subdivision employees must be mapped when funding
8 for that purpose is provided by the agency or from other
9 sources.
10 (2) Nothing in this act shall be construed to require
11 any State agency or political subdivision to map a building
12 unless the entire cost of mapping the building is provided by
13 the agency or from other sources.
14 (d) Mapping information to be forwarded.--
15 (1) Once the system is operational, each State agency
16 and political subdivision subject to subsection (c) shall
17 forward their building mapping information data to the
18 agency.
19 (2) The Federal Government or owner of a public building
20 may voluntarily forward their mapping and emergency
21 information data to the agency. The agency may refuse any
22 building mapping information that does not comply with the
23 specifications described in section 4.
24 (e) Electronic availability.--Consistent with the guidelines
25 developed under section 4 the agency shall electronically, in
26 graphical information systems format and in accordance with
27 other relevant standards, make the building mapping information
28 available to all Federal, State and local law enforcement
29 agencies and fire departments throughout this Commonwealth.
30 (f) Standards for participation in system.--Consistent with
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1 the guidelines developed under section 4 the agency, in
2 consultation with the office, shall develop building mapping
3 data and software standards that must be used to participate in
4 the system.
5 (g) Solicitation of Federal funding.--The agency shall
6 solicit Federal funds to establish the system and develop grants
7 for the mapping of all buildings subject to subsection (c) in
8 the order determined under section 4.
9 (h) Confidentiality.--None of the information provided to
10 the agency under this act shall be deemed a public record
11 subject to disclosure under the act of June 21, 1957 (P.L.390,
12 No.212), referred to as the Right-to-Know Law.
13 (i) Staffing.--The agency and the office may employ staff to
14 carry out their duties under this act.
15 Section 4. First Responder Committee.
16 The agency, in consultation with the office, Statewide
17 associations of political subdivisions and the Pennsylvania
18 State Police, shall convene a committee to establish guidelines
19 related to the system. The committee shall have the following
20 responsibilities:
21 (1) To develop the type of information and the types of
22 buildings to be included in the system. The information shall
23 include, but is not limited to: floor plans, fire protection
24 information, evacuation plans, utility information, known
25 hazards and text and digital images showing emergency
26 personnel contact information.
27 (2) To develop building mapping software standards for
28 all entities that elect to participate in the system.
29 (3) To determine the order in which buildings will be
30 mapped when funding is received for that purpose.
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1 (4) To develop guidelines on how the information shall
2 be made available. These guidelines shall include detailed
3 procedures and security systems to ensure that the
4 information is only made available to the entity that either
5 owns the building or is responding to an incident at the
6 building.
7 (5) To recommend training guidelines regarding using the
8 system.
9 (6) To update the information in the system on an annual
10 basis.
11 (7) To designate certain buildings, including, but not
12 limited to, correctional institutions, hospitals and the
13 Capitol Building, as classified in order to maintain
14 confidentiality of information relating to those buildings.
15 Section 5. Effective date.
16 This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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