Subcommittee advances bill to require exterior lockboxes for school access during emergencies

Representative Ridley introduced House Bill 13 27 (LC630104), which would require exterior lockboxes at schools to hold keys or approved access tokens so emergency responders can enter schools during lockdowns or after hours. The sponsor said the boxes should be accessible to public safety personnel while safeguarded from public misuse and suggested districts could use existing school safety hardening funds to cover the estimated modest installation costs.

Members raised concerns that the requirement could be an unfunded mandate for some districts, asked whether electronic access solutions might be preferable, and requested confirmation that lockbox procedures align with local emergency management and school safety plans. One member said some counties already have electronic door‑unlock systems integrated with emergency management operations and cautioned that a one‑size‑fits‑all mandate could create confusion if not aligned with existing systems.

Supporters argued the boxes are inexpensive and would solve cases where responders cannot access locked buildings. The committee discussed details such as whether each building on a multi‑building campus must have a box, who determines access codes, and whether the requirement should be flexible to allow electronic solutions approved by local law enforcement.

The committee approved the bill by voice vote after discussion and indicated members would work with the author and stakeholders on technical language before full committee consideration.