Title: An act relating to updating enhanced 911 services on private shared telecommunications services.

Brief Description: Requiring a review of enhanced 911 services.

Sponsors: Senators McAuliffe and Fairley.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Financial Institutions, Housing & Consumer Protection: 2/15/05, 2/23/05[DPS].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, HOUSING & CONSUMER PROTECTION

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5749 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.Signed by Senators Fairley, Chair; Berkey, Vice Chair; Benton, Ranking Minority Member; Benson, Brandland, Delvin, Franklin, Keiser, Prentice, Schmidt and Spanel.

Staff: William Bridges (786-7424)

Background: Private telecommunications systems, commonly called private branch exchanges (PBXs), are usually found in office buildings. PBXs allow persons within a building to call each other by dialing an extension number. Calls to persons outside the building are usually made by dialing the number nine and the full telephone number.

Enhanced 911 (E-911) services enable a caller's number and location to be transmitted automatically to the 911 operator. In many cases, however, when a 911 call is made from a telephone connected to a PBX, the 911 operator may only receive information about the location of the caller's PBX, not the location of the caller's individual office.

Under current statutes and regulations, PBXs in apartments, schools, and hotels must transmit the room number for each telephone. In addition, sellers of PBX services to businesses must assure their systems can transmit room numbers or similar information if they serve multi-floor buildings, building complexes, or buildings larger than 25,000 square feet.

Advanced technology exists to provide E-911 operators with video-display maps or floor plans of a caller's location. This technology is not mandated under current law.

Summary of Substitute Bill: The Adjutant General, who has authority to adopt rules for 911 location accuracy, should annually review new technologies that relate to E-911 services to businesses in multi-floor buildings, building complexes, or buildings larger than 25,000 square feet. If the Adjutant General concludes the current statute regarding these services must be amended to incorporate new technology, the Adjutant General must report the recommendations to the legislature 60 days before the start of any regular session.

A finding is made concerning the need for annual reviews of E-911 technology for multi-line telephone services.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill: The adjutant general is encouraged, rather than required, to annually review new technologies.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: E911 technology is changing at a rapid pace and this bill will allow the Adjutant General to review and incorporate new technology into the E911 system. Some software companies have produced software that can map the location of the caller and provide other information about the caller, such as medical needs.

Other: The Military Department has 1.5 staff persons who review new E911 technology. The department will only use technology that meets national standards. The department is currently planning on incorporating new internet standards in the state E911 system. This new technology will not only allow the transmission of floor plans, but it will also be capable of providing real-time video. The rebuild will probably be completed in 2008.

Testimony Against: None.

Who Testified: PRO: Senator McAuliffe, prime sponsor; Tom LaBelle, Clarion Software, Inc. OTHER: Bob Oenning, E911 Program, Military Dept.