BILL ANALYSIS
AB 914
Page 1
Date of Hearing: May 21, 2003
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Darrell Steinberg, Chair
AB 914 (Reyes) - As Amended: May 13, 2003
Policy Committee:
UtilitiesVote:13-0
Revenue and Taxation 6-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable:
SUMMARY
This bill requires local public safety agencies,
telecommunications providers, and the Department of General
Services (DGS) to expand the capabilities of the 911 emergency
system. Specifically, this bill:
1)Defines "public safety answering point" (PSAP) as a
telecommunications center capable of receiving requests for
emergency services by means of multiple telecommunications
sources and dispatching the necessary emergency services
resources in response to a request.
2)Defines "reporting system" as a telecommunications service
that automatically connects a person who uses another
telecommunications service to a PSAP through
telecommunications service facilities and has specified
capabilities.
3)Requires every local agency to have a reporting system and
connectivity to the telecommunications emergency response
system.
4)Establishes the 911 Committee-consisting of one representative
each from the California Chapter of the National Emergency
Numbering Association, the California State Sheriff's
Association, the California Police Chief's Association, and
the California Fire Chief's Association-and requires the
committee, rather than DGS, to establish and update technical
and operational standards for the system.
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5)Requires the 911 Committee to report annually to the
Legislature on system implementation and its recommendations
for legislation and funding.
6)Requires DGS, within the currently authorized range for the
911 surcharge (between one-half percent and three-fourths
percent applied on intrastate phone services), to reimburse
local agencies or telecommunications equipment companies for
approved costs of: a reporting system, a geographically
referenced statewide base mapping system, a regionalized
master street address guide, an automatic location
identification database client server system, and incremental
costs.
FISCAL EFFECT
1)Unknown cost, ranging from the tens of millions to a few
hundred million dollars to reimburse local agencies for all
the upgrades. (The current 911 surcharge of 0.73 percent
generates about $130 million in revenue annually to support
the 911 system.)
2)Minor administrative costs for DGS to support the 911
Committee.
COMMENTS
1)Purpose . This bill is intended to update the Warren 911
Emergency Services Act and the Emergency Telephone Users
Surcharge Act to clarify that the existing 911 system-based on
calls being directed to PSAPs by the public switch telephone
network-is part of a telecommunications network rather than
simply a call termination point. This bill requires the
creation of a client-server network that will allow PSAPs to
access geo-reference maps, overlay them with location
information from wireless carriers, and pinpoint the location
of 911 calls made from cellular phones. The bill funds these
upgrades through the existing Emergency Telephone Users'
Surcharge, which is set by DGS within a statutorily
established range.
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2)Inadequate State Control ? The bill establishes a 911
Committee, consisting solely of non-state personnel, to
establish system technical standards, to make recommendations
to DGS' Telecommunications regarding reimbursement requests,
and to report annually to the Legislature on recommendations
for funding and legislation. This proposal would seem to vest
too much authority for a state-run program in a strictly
non-state entity. The committee's role should instead by
advisory to DGS.
3)Related Legislatio n. SB 911 (Alpert), currently pending in
the Senate Appropriations Committee, establishes the 911
Advisory Board to advise DGS' Telecommunications Division on
implementing the 911 system.
Analysis Prepared by : Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081