BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  SB 666
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:  June 30, 2003

                    ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON UTILITIES AND COMMERCE
                                 Sarah Reyes, Chair
                     SB 666 (Bowen) - As Amended:  June 12, 2003

           SENATE VOTE  :  39-0
           
          SUBJECT  :  Emergency 911 service.

          SUMMARY  :  Requires the Communication Division of the Department  
          of General Services (DGS) to issue an annual report on the  
          status of implementing 911 services.  Specifically,  this bill   
          requires an annual report to be developed by DGS on the status  
          of implementing 911 service in connection with wireless  
          telecommunications service.  The first report is due no later  
          than March 31, 2004.

           EXISTING LAW  :

          1)Establishes the Warren 911 Emergency Services Act to be  
            administered by the Department of General Services for the  
            purpose of developing a network of public safety answering  
            points to respond to 911 emergency assistance calls.

          2)Establishes the Emergency Telephone Users Surcharge Act to  
            fund the development and maintenance of the public safety  
            answering points through a surcharge on all intrastate phone  
            numbers issued by the California Public Utilities Commission  
            (PUC).

          3)Specifies that the Department of General Services has  
            administrative responsibility over the range of the surcharge,  
            subject to the approval by the Board of Equalization, as well  
            as reimbursements for expenditures submitted by PSAPs and  
            telephone carriers.  DGS is required to annually report to the  
            Board of Equalization on what the surcharge should be set at  
            to fund future year obligations.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :  Unknown.

           COMMENTS  :  This bill requires DGS to issue an annual report to  
          the Legislature on the status of implementing 911 service in  
          connection with wireless telecommunications service.  There is  
          currently no statutory requirement for DGS to report to the  








                                                                  SB 666
                                                                  Page  2

          Legislature on the status of the 911 program.  The 2001-02  
          Budget Act required DGS to provide a report to the budget  
          committees on what an appropriate reserve level might be for the  
          Emergency Telephone Number Account, while taking into  
          consideration of the increased growth in 911 calls from cellular  
          phone users and how that impacts current funding obligations.

           REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION  :   

           Support 
           
          None on file.


           Opposition 
           
          None on file.
           

          Analysis Prepared by  :    Daniel Kim / U. & C. / (916) 319-2083