PRINTER'S NO. 794
No. 666 Session of 2005
INTRODUCED BY COSTA, LOGAN, KITCHEN, C. WILLIAMS, LAVALLE,
O'PAKE, RAFFERTY, ORIE, BOSCOLA, KASUNIC, WAUGH, FERLO AND
STACK, MAY 10, 2005
REFERRED TO VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS,
MAY 10, 2005
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
18 Responder Building Mapping System Act.
1 Section 2. Definitions.
2 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
3 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
4 context clearly indicates otherwise:
5 "Agency." The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.
6 "Office." The Office for Information Technology within the
7 Office of Administration.
8 "State agency." Any administrative department, board or
9 commission, independent administrative department, board or
10 commission, legislative service agency, the judiciary or
11 institution of higher education that receives funding from the
12 Commonwealth.
13 "System." The First Responder Building Mapping System
14 established in section 3 (relating to First Responder Building
15 Mapping System).
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 Internet website.
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 (relating to First Responder Committee) for
26 any building mapped for this purpose after the system is
27 operational.
28 (2) If, prior to establishment of the system, a
29 political subdivision has utilized building mapping data and
30 software standards established under section 4, the political
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1 subdivision may continue to use its own building mapping
2 system unless the agency provides funding to bring the
3 political subdivision's building mapping system in compliance
4 with the standards established under section 4.
5 (c) Buildings subject to system.--
6 (1) All buildings owned, leased or controlled by a State
7 agency or political subdivision that are occupied by State or
8 political subdivision employees must be mapped when funding
9 for that purpose is provided by the agency or from other
10 sources.
11 (2) Nothing in this act shall be construed to require
12 any State agency or political subdivision to map a building
13 unless the entire cost of mapping the building is provided by
14 the agency or from other sources.
15 (d) Mapping information to be forwarded.--
16 (1) Once the system is operational, each State agency
17 and political subdivision subject to subsection (c) shall
18 forward their building mapping information data to the
19 agency.
20 (2) The Federal Government or owner of a public building
21 may voluntarily forward their mapping and emergency
22 information data to the agency. The agency may refuse any
23 building mapping information that does not comply with the
24 specifications described in section 4.
25 (e) Electronic availability.--Consistent with the guidelines
26 developed under section 4, the agency shall electronically, in
27 graphical information systems format and in accordance with
28 other relevant standards, make the building mapping information
29 available to all Federal, State and local law enforcement
30 agencies and fire departments throughout this Commonwealth.
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1 (f) Standards for participation in system.--Consistent with
2 the guidelines developed under section 4, the agency, in
3 consultation with the office, shall develop building mapping
4 data and software standards that must be used to participate in
5 the system.
6 (g) Solicitation of Federal funding.--The agency shall
7 solicit Federal funds to establish the system and develop grants
8 for the mapping of all buildings subject to subsection (c) in
9 the order determined under section 4.
10 (h) Confidentiality.--None of the information provided to
11 the agency under this act shall be deemed a public record
12 subject to disclosure under the act of June 21, 1957 (P.L.390,
13 No.212), referred to as the Right-to-Know Law.
14 (i) Staffing.--The agency and the office may employ staff to
15 carry out their duties under this act.
16 Section 4. First Responder Committee.
17 The agency, in consultation with the office, Statewide
18 associations of political subdivisions and the Pennsylvania
19 State Police, shall convene a committee to establish guidelines
20 related to the system. The committee shall have the following
21 responsibilities:
22 (1) To develop the type of information and the types of
23 buildings to be included in the system. The information shall
24 include, but is not limited to: floor plans, fire protection
25 information, evacuation plans, utility information, known
26 hazards and text and digital images showing emergency
27 personnel contact information.
28 (2) To develop building mapping software standards for
29 all entities that elect to participate in the system.
30 (3) To determine the order in which buildings will be
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1 mapped when funding is received for that purpose.
2 (4) To develop guidelines on how the information is to
3 be made available. These guidelines shall include detailed
4 procedures and security systems to ensure that the
5 information is only made available to the entity that either
6 owns the building or is responding to an incident at the
7 building.
8 (5) To recommend training guidelines regarding using the
9 system.
10 (6) To update the information in the system on an annual
11 basis.
12 (7) To designate certain buildings, including, but not
13 limited to, correctional institutions, hospitals and the
14 Capitol Building, as classified in order to maintain
15 confidentiality of information relating to those buildings.
16 Section 5. Effective date.
17 This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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