BILL ANALYSIS
SB 911
Page 1
SENATE THIRD READING
SB 911 (Alpert)
As Amended June 26, 2003
Majority vote
SENATE VOTE :30-3
UTILITIES AND COMMERCE 10-0 APPROPRIATIONS 21-1
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|Ayes:|Reyes, Richman, Calderon, |Ayes:|Steinberg, Bates, Berg, |
| |Canciamilla, Diaz, Jerome | |Corbett, Mullin, Daucher, |
| |Horton, La Suer, Levine, | |Diaz, Chu, Goldberg, |
| |Maddox, Nunez | |Leno, Maldonado, Nation, |
| | | |Negrete McLeod, Nunez, |
| | | |Pavley, Ridley-Thomas, |
| | | |Runner, Samuelian, |
| | | |Simitian, Wiggins, Yee |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
| | | | |
| | |Nays:|Haynes |
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Creates the State 911 Advisory Board (Board) to advise
the Telecommunications Division of the Department of General
Services (DGS). Specifically, this bill :
1)Establishes an 11-member Board to advise the
Telecommunications Division of DGS.
2)Requires the Board to advise the division on specified topics,
including technical, operational, and training standards for
the 911 system, funding and reimbursement decisions, and
expediting enhanced 911 technology.
3)Requires the Board to meet at least quarterly and also within
30 days upon a request from a local public agency regarding a
conflict between the agency and the Telecommunications
Division.
4)Authorizes reimbursement of Board members for attending Board
meetings.
EXISTING LAW :
SB 911
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1)Establishes the Warren 911 Emergency Services Act to develop a
network of public safety answering points (PSAPs) to respond
to 911 emergency assistance calls.
2)Finances the development and maintenance of PSAPs through a
surcharge on all intrastate phone numbers issued by the
California Public Utilities Commission (PUC).
3)Confers administrative responsibility to DGS over the
surcharge and reimbursements for expenditures submitted by
PSAPs and telephone carriers. DGS must report annually to the
State Board of Equalization on what the surcharge should be
set at to fund future year obligations.
FISCAL EFFECT : Assembly Appropriations Committee notes minor
special fund costs (Emergency Telephone Number Account) for DGS
to provide staff support to the Board and for reimbursement to
Board members. There is already an existing advisory committee
that was created administratively.
COMMENTS : Brief history of state involvement in 911 system:
Since its inception in the mid-1970's, DGS' Telecommunications
Division (DGS-TD) has administered the state's 911 program.
This includes evaluating local 911 systems, reviewing,
approving, and reimbursing local public safety agencies for the
necessary and reasonable costs associated with the planning,
implementation, and maintenance of a state-approved 911 system.
The state 911 program is funded through a surcharge on telephone
service. That surcharge is statutorily capped at 0.75% of a
customer's phone bill, but right now is set at 0.72% by DGS-TD
and hasn't been increased since 1995. The surcharge raises
about $130 million annually, with about half of the money going
to pay for database services, where the incoming 911 call is
identified with a telephone number and street address. One
quarter goes to pay for carrying the telephone call, and one
quarter pays for the telephones and computers housed in the
public safety dispatch centers.
As cellular telephone location information becomes available,
the 911 system will need to be upgraded. The California Highway
Patrol (CHP) is the first responder for most all cellular 911
calls. Funds have been reserved to pay for CHP upgrades.
SB 911
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This bill establishes in statute a Board of 911 practitioners
appointed by the Governor. The current 911 advisory committee
was created under a former Director of DGS and the Board makeup
was not voted on by any 911-user association but determined
through application sent out by the Telecommunication Division.
There have been ongoing disagreements between local entities and
the division regarding 911 implementation and reimbursement. The
author believes that having an appointed Board selected by
practitioners that provides an appeals process will ease
tensions within the current Board structure.
Analysis Prepared by : Paul Donahue / U. & C. / (916) 319-2083
FN: 0002512