BILL NUMBER:  AB 2837
  VETOED	DATE: 09/30/2000




Sep 30 2000



To the Members of the Assembly:

I am returning AB 2837 without my signature.

This bill authorizes local public agencies responsible for providing
a public safety answering system to establish a local non-emergency
telephone system.  It would designate "311" as the primary
non-emergency telephone number for that system.  It requires the
Department of General Services to establish operational standards,
set rates, and administer this service.  The measure further provides
for local funding of each regional 311 service.

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
provision of 311 services in concert with their existing 211 and 511
proceedings.



Sincerely,



GRAY DAVIS