(1) As used in this section: (a) "Controlled access point" means a designated entry point to a school building that: (i) school personnel or electronic surveillance monitors during school hours; and (ii) requires visitors to follow check-in procedures before accessing the school building interior. (b) "School hours" means the period during which students are present in the school building for instructional purposes. (c) "Visitor" means any individual who is not a current student or employee of the school, including: (i) parents; (ii) contractors and service providers; (iii) volunteers; and (iv) guests. (d) "Visitor management system" means a process or technology an LEA uses to track, monitor, and manage visitors entering school facilities. (2) An LEA that establishes visitor management protocols shall ensure the protocols include: (a) designated controlled access points that require all visitors to: (i) enter the school building through a main entrance or other designated entry point during school hours; (ii) report immediately to a central office or reception area before accessing other areas of the school building; and (iii) present valid government-issued identification or other acceptable identification the LEA determines in LEA policy; (b) a visitor sign-in and sign-out process that records at minimum: (i) the visitor's name; (ii) the date and time of entry and exit; (iii) the purpose of the visit; and (iv) the specific location or individual the visitor intends to visit; (c) procedures for: (i) issuing visible identification, including a visitor badge or pass, that visitors must display prominently while on school grounds; and (ii) distinguishing between different types of visitors, such as parents, volunteers, contractors, and other guests; (d) protocols for monitoring and supervising visitors while on school grounds, including: (i) requiring school personnel to accompany visitors when visitors access areas where students are present, except as LEA policy otherwise provides for parents or authorized volunteers; (ii) prohibiting visitor access to restricted areas; and (iii) procedures school personnel shall follow to challenge or question any individual without visible identification; (e) procedures for responding to visitors who: (i) refuse to comply with visitor management protocols; (ii) pose a potential threat to school safety; or (iii) the LEA denies entry to the school; (f) clear signage at all school building entrances that: (i) directs visitors to the designated controlled access point; (ii) notifies visitors of the requirement to check in and obtain authorization before entering; and (iii) states that the LEA prohibits unauthorized entry and that unauthorized entry may result in criminal prosecution under Section 76-6-206; and (g) annual training for school personnel on: (i) implementing and enforcing visitor management protocols; (ii) identifying and responding to unauthorized individuals on school grounds; and (iii) communication procedures with the school safety and security specialist described in Section 53G-8-701.6 or school safety and security director described in Section 53G-8-701.8. (3) (a) An LEA may implement an electronic visitor management system that includes capabilities such as: (i) automated identification verification; (ii) integration with sex offender registry databases; (iii) digital badge printing; (iv) automated visitor tracking and reporting; and (v) emergency notification capabilities. (b) If an LEA implements an electronic visitor management system, the LEA shall ensure that: (i) the LEA maintains visitor data in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 2, Government Records Access and Management Act; (ii) the LEA protects personally identifiable information and uses such information solely for school safety purposes; and (iii) the LEA notifies visitors of data collection practices in accordance with applicable privacy laws. (4) (a) An LEA may establish reasonable exceptions to the visitor management requirements described in Subsection (2) for: (i) emergency situations requiring immediate access to the school building; (ii) law enforcement officers, firefighters, or emergency medical personnel responding to an emergency; (iii) volunteers or employees of an educational foundation who have successfully completed a background check and ongoing monitoring as required in Section 53G-11-402; (iv) brief visits to exterior areas of the school campus that do not require entry into school buildings; (v) school-sponsored events held during regular school hours with larger than normal numbers of visitors on the school campus; (vi) school-sponsored public events held outside of regular school hours. (b) An LEA shall provide reasonable accommodations in visitor management procedures for individuals with disabilities in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 12101 et seq. (5) If applicable, the school safety needs assessment an LEA conducts under Subsection 53G-8-701.5(1) shall include an evaluation of: (a) the adequacy of current visitor management protocols; (b) physical infrastructure supporting controlled access, including entry vestibules, secure reception areas, and electronic access control systems; and (c) recommendations for improvements to visitor management protocols and infrastructure. (6) (a) An LEA that implements visitor management protocols shall include information about the protocols in the school safety needs assessment conducted under Section 53G-8-701.5. (b) The state security chief may: (i) evaluate visitor management protocols as part of the school safety needs assessment described in Section 53G-8-701.5; (ii) collect and maintain data on visitor management protocol implementation and effectiveness; and (iii) develop recommended best practices for LEAs that choose to implement visitor management protocols.
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