BILL ANALYSIS
AB 1477
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Date of Hearing: April 16, 2001
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION
Herb Wesson, Chair
AB 1477 (Hertzberg) - As Introduced: February 23, 2001
SUBJECT : State non-emergency telephone number system.
SUMMARY : Authorizes local public agencies to establish a "311"
non-emergency telephone system. Specifically this bill :
1) Finds that the "911" emergency response system is inundated
by calls from people calling to complain about
non-emergency situations, and that the availability of a
"311" non-emergency telephone number will reduce the number
of calls to the "911" system, thus improving emergency
response times.
2) Authorizes local public agencies to establish a
non-emergency telephone system.
3) Requires the Division of Telecommunications, within the
Department of General Services (DGS), to aid local public
agencies in the formulation of concepts, methods, and
procedures that will improve the operation of "311"
systems.
4) Requires the establishment of technical and operational
standards for the development of the "311" system, with the
input of local agencies (subject to review by the Division
of Telecommunications) by January 1, 2003. Allows counties
to initiate a "311" non-emergency telephone system on
behalf of their local agencies. Requires the Division of
Telecommunications to continually review and update
technical and operational standards for public agency
"311"systems.
5) Requires the Division of Telecommunications to review,
monitor and approve submitted "311" system plans, as
specified.
6) Authorizes the Attorney General to enforce compliance
issues as they relate to this measure.
7) Requires the Division of Telecommunications to notify each
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county in the state of the availability of the "311"
non-emergency telephone system by February 1, 2002.
8) Increases the surcharge for intrastate telephone
communication services by not more than one half of one
percent to fund the State Non-emergency Telephone System.
Maintains that the rate increase applies only to those
jurisdictions whose application for a "311" non-emergency
telephone system is filed with the Division of
Telecommunications.
9) Requires the Department of General Services to determine
annually a surcharge rate that it estimates would be needed
to fund the current fiscal year's "311" costs for all
participating local public agencies, as specified. Allows
for a surcharge increase of not more than one half of one
percent to be applied uniformly to local public agencies
that elect to participate in a "311" non-emergency
telephone system.
10) Creates the State Non-emergency Telephone Number Account in
the General Fund for deposit of funds appropriated in this
bill.
EXISTING LAW:
1) Establishes "911" as the primary emergency telephone
emergency telephone number in the state and requires local
and state public safety agencies to participate in the
emergency telephone system. The system is financed by a
surcharge imposed upon all residential and business
telephone bills, and caps the surcharge at .75% of a
customer's phone bill.
2) Requires state and local agencies to maintain a secondary
number for non-emergency telephone calls.
FISCAL EFFECT :Unknown
COMMENTS :
1. Background In 1997, the Legislature passed and the
Governor signed AB 1198 (Hertzberg Ch. 887, Statutes of 1997),
which established a pilot program that evaluated two different
approaches to reducing the number of non-emergency calls: A)
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The use of "311" as a means of reaching local public safety
agencies for non-emergency assistance; and B) The improved
marketing, use of, and access to existing non-emergency
telephone numbers for non-emergency assistance. According to
the required pilot project report, the "311" approach to
reducing non-emergency calls resulted in a 63% reduction in
non-emergency calls to "911" systems.
In 2000, the Legislature passed, but the Governor vetoed AB
2837 (Hertzberg) a bill substantially similar to this bill.
The Governor's veto message stated, in part, the following:
"While the concept for a separate non-emergency telephone
system is a good one, the potential costs for this program are
unknown at this time. Without pilot projects to provide the
data necessary to estimate costs for this program, it would be
premature to approve this measure. Use of specific numbering
resources falls primarily within the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC)'s jurisdiction. The California Public
Utilities Commission (PUC) manages California's valuable
numbering resources in compliance with those federal rules and
is currently coordinating with the FCC to implement 211 and
511, respectively, for other uses. I am directing the PUC to
look at the provisions of "311" services in concert with their
existing 211 and 511 proceedings."
2.Need for the Bill . According to the author, the current "911"
emergency response system is inundated by calls from people
calling to complain about non-emergency situations. Estimates
of non-emergency calls to the "911" system range from 70 to 90
percent of the total number of calls. These calls delay the
delivery of emergency services. The author believes that the
availability of a "311" non-emergency telephone number will
reduce the number of such calls to the"911" system, and result
in improved emergency response times.
The author also argues that the implementation of the "311"
non-emergency telephone system becomes even more urgent in
light of Assembly Bill 1263 (Thomson, Chapter 981, Statutes of
2001) which provides that cellular "911" calls may be routed
to a public safety answering point other than the California
Highway Patrol (CHP), suggesting even more overload.
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2.Opposition . The Board of Equalization (BOE) is opposed to
increases of the emergency telephone users surcharge to fund
the proposed "311" system. The BOE argues that there are
already several State taxes and surcharges imposed on amounts
paid for telephone service.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
City of San Jose
Opposition
State Board of Equalization
Analysis Prepared by : Jemahl Amen / G. O. / (916) 319-2047