BILL ANALYSIS
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 1311
Author: Kuehl (D)
Amended: 4/16/02
Vote: 21
SENATE ENERGY, U.&C. COMMITTEE : 8-0, 4/9/02
AYES: Bowen, Morrow, Alarcon, Battin, Murray, Sher,
Vasconcellos, Vincent
SUBJECT : Commercial mobile radio service: public safety
agencies
SOURCE : California State Firefighters Association
DIGEST : This bill authorizes voluntary agreements
between cellular carriers and public safety agencies to
give priority telephone service.
ANALYSIS : Current federal rules permit cellular
telephone companies to voluntarily offer priority access to
cellular telephone service for national security and
emergency preparedness personnel.
This bill permits cellular telephone companies to enter
into contracts with public safety agencies to give those
agencies priority cellular telephone service. The contract
shall comply with applicable federal law.
Background
The September 11, 2001, tragedy highlighted a flaw in the
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public safety agency communications capabilities. That
flaw is public safety radio systems aren't always
compatible with each other. Fire departments can't always
talk to police departments who can't always talk to federal
or state disaster response agencies.
One common communication system that doesn't have the flaw
associated with the public safety radio system is the
cellular telephone, which allows for interagency
communication, private communication, and communication
with the rest of the world. All of these features make use
of the cellphone attractive as a supplement to the current
proprietary radio systems used by public safety agencies.
However, in an emergency, the cellular telephone system is
often taxed to its limit and in such cases, the first
caller lucky enough to get a connection after the last
caller hangs up gets to make the next call.
The National Communications System (NCS), a unit of the
federal government, has been working to implement a
"cellular priority access" system since 1995. The Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) must also agree to allow
cellular carriers to offer priority access service. In
July 2000, the FCC permitted cellular carriers to offer
priority access service to specified public safety
personnel. The FCC rules provide for the Executive Office
of the President, acting through NCS, to administer the
priority access system, including creating or revising
regulations regarding operation and use.
VoiceStream, a large cellular provider not yet doing
business in California, is slated to pilot a program for
public safety priority access in New York city and
Washington, D.C. in May. Under this program, cellphones
with priority access will be queued up for the next
available wireless circuit. The NCS believes wireless
priority access should be available much more broadly by
the end of this year.
According to NCS, about 60,000 people or agencies have
priority access to the landline telephone network.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No
Local: No
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SUPPORT : (Verified 4/16/02)
California State Firefighters' Association (source)
Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs
Los Angeles Police Protection League
Riverside Sheriffs' Association
OPPOSITION : (Verified 4/18/02)
Verizon Wireless
AT&T
NC:sl 4/18/02 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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