BILL NUMBER: AB 669	CHAPTERED
	BILL TEXT

	CHAPTER  731
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  SEPTEMBER 20, 2002
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  SEPTEMBER 20, 2002
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 31, 2002
	PASSED THE SENATE  AUGUST 30, 2002
	AMENDED IN SENATE  AUGUST 27, 2002
	AMENDED IN SENATE  AUGUST 5, 2002
	AMENDED IN SENATE  MARCH 11, 2002
	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 20, 2001

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Hertzberg

                        FEBRUARY 22, 2001

   An act to add Article 6.6 (commencing with Section 53126) to
Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5 of the Government Code,
relating to public safety services.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 669, Hertzberg.  State nonemergency telephone number system.
   Existing law requires local public safety agencies to maintain, in
addition to a "911" emergency telephone number, a separate number
for nonemergency calls.  Existing law also sets forth the duties of
the Division of Telecommunications of the Department of General
Services in providing management oversight of statewide
telecommunications systems developments, among other things.
   This bill would authorize every local public agency, as defined,
to establish a nonemergency telephone system and would specify that
the digits "311" would be the dedicated nonemergency telephone number
within the system.  It would authorize the Division of
Telecommunications of the Department of General Services to, among
other things, aid local public agencies in the formulation of
concepts, methods, and procedures that will improve the operation of
systems authorized by this bill and that will increase cooperation
among public agencies.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


  SECTION 1.  The Legislature hereby finds and declares all of the
following:
   (a) The "911" emergency response system is inundated by calls from
people calling to complain about nonemergency situations.
   (b) Estimates of nonemergency calls to the "911" system range from
70 to 90 percent of the total number of calls.
   (c) These calls delay the delivery of emergency services.
   (d) The availability of a "311" nonemergency telephone number will
reduce the number of these calls to the "911" system, thus improving
emergency response times.
  SEC. 2.  Article 6.6 (commencing with Section 53126) is added to
Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5 of the Government Code,
to read:

      Article 6.6.  State Nonemergency Telephone System

   53126.  Every local public agency may establish a nonemergency
telephone system as provided in this article.  The digits "311" shall
be dedicated as the nonemergency telephone number within the system.
  Nonemergency "311" telephone systems shall be designed to provide a
system similar to a "911" selective routing system, whereby the
location of the initial call is determined to provide a coordinated
uniform delivery system to meet the specified requirements of each
local jurisdiction.  Every system shall be designed to allow the
handling of emergency calls by the "911" emergency telephone system.

   53126.5.  For purposes of this article, the following definitions
apply:
   (a) "Division of Telecommunications" means the Division of
Telecommunications of the Department of General Services.
   (b) "Local public agency" means a city, county, city and county,
and joint powers authority that provides a public safety answering
point (PSAP).
   (c) "Nonemergency telephone system" means a system structured to
provide access to only public safety agencies such as police and
fire, or a system structured to provide access to public safety
agencies and to all other services provided by a local public agency
such as street maintenance and animal control.
   53127.  The Division of Telecommunications may aid local public
agencies in the formulation of concepts, methods, and procedures that
will improve the operation of systems authorized by this article and
increase cooperation among public agencies.