FINAL BILL REPORT

                  SSB 5089

                          C 243 L 95

                      Synopsis as Enacted

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).

Senate Committee on Energy, Telecommunications & Utilities

House Committee on Energy & Utilities

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 by a single connection usually 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:  By January 1, 1997, owners of a private telecommunications system serving residential customers and school districts must ensure that the system is connected to the public-switched network.  This must be done in such a way 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 to the Director of the Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development rules on the minimum information requirements of automatic location identification.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate    48 0

House     96 0 (House amended)

Senate    42 0 (Senate concurred)

Effective:  July 1, 1995 (Section 11)

          July 23, 1995