HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SSB 5089

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                     Energy & Utilities

Title:  An act relating to 911 compatibility with private telecommunications systems and private shared telecommunications services.

Brief Description:  Requiring 911 compatibility of private telecommunications systems and private shared telecommunications services.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Energy, Telecommunications & Utilities (originally sponsored by Senators Loveland, Finkbeiner and Sutherland).

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Energy & Utilities:  2/21/95 [DPA].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY & UTILITIES

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.  Signed by 11 members:  Representatives Casada, Chairman; Crouse, Vice Chairman; Hankins, Vice Chairman; Kessler, Ranking Minority Member; Kremen, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Chandler; Huff; Mastin; Mielke; Mitchell and Patterson.

Staff:  Margaret Allen (786-7110).

Background:  Private telecommunications systems are customer-owned systems that typically serve extensions in building complexes, campuses, or high-rise buildings, allowing callers within the building or campus to talk to each other without dialing into the public switched network.  All outside calls are made to the public network via a limited number of trunk lines, usually located in a room within the building or campus.

Enhanced 911 emergency calling services enable the caller's number and location to be transmitted automatically to the 911 operator.  However, in many cases, when a 911 call is made from a telephone which is part of a private telecommunications system, the 911 operator receives only the line identification for a central location, not the location of the individual caller.  This can cause problems for an emergency response team trying to find the correct address, because the caller's location may be different than that received by the 911 operator.

Local government efforts to address this problem have led to inconsistent technical standards for systems in different jurisdictions.

Summary of Amended Bill:  By January 1, 1997, or one year after enhanced 911 service becomes available or a private switch automatic location identification service is available from the local exchange company, whichever is later, owners of a private telecommunications system serving residential customers and school districts must assure that the system is connected to the public switched network.  This must be done such that calls to 911 result in automatic location identification for each telephone, in a manner compatible with county E-911 systems. 

Providers of private shared telecommunications services to multiple business users from a single system must be similarly connected, provided the businesses served contain a physical area of more than 25,000 square feet, are located on more than one floor of a building, or are located in multiple buildings.

Local regulations mandating automatic number or location identification are preempted.

The state enhanced 911 coordination office and advisory committee may participate in efforts to set uniform national standards for automatic number identification and automatic location identification, and must report its progress to the Legislature by January 1, 1997.

The State Fire Protection Policy Board must recommend rules to the director of the Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development regarding the minimum information requirements of automatic location identification.

Amended Bill Compared to Substitute Bill:  The striking amendment removes the Department of Labor and Industries' responsibility for adopting rules.  The striking amendment also extends by one year the deadline by which private telecommunications systems must be connected to the public switched network, and the date by which the enhanced 911 advisory committee must report to the Legislature.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date of Amended Bill:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed, except for section 11, which takes effect July 1, 1995.

Testimony For:  (SHB 1153) Private telephone systems have been a problem since E-911 was first implemented.  State standards are needed so local vendors do not have to meet multiple standards in multiple jurisdictions.  This is a compromise bill.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  (Pro) Mark Greenberg (TRACER); Jim Quackenbush, Thurston County 911; and Marlys Davis, King County 911.