ASSEMBLY, No. 3461

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

216th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED JUNE 26, 2014

 

 

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman  HERB CONAWAY, JR.

District 7 (Burlington)

Assemblyman  DAVID P. RIBLE

District 30 (Monmouth and Ocean)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Requires 9-1-1 service facilities to be equipped with system for processing requests for emergency services sent via text message.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

  

An Act concerning 9-1-1 service, amending P.L.1989, c.3 and supplementing Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    Section 8 of P.L.1989, c.3 (C.52:17C-8) is amended to read as follows:

     8.  a.  Each public safety answering point shall be capable of dispatching or forwarding requests for law enforcement, fire fighting, emergency medical services, or other emergency services to a public or private safety agency that provides the requested services.

     b.    Each public safety answering point shall be equipped with a system approved by the office for the processing of requests for emergency services for the physically disabled.  No person shall connect to a telephone company's network any automatic alarm or other automatic alerting device which causes the number "9-1-1" to be automatically dialed and which provides a prerecorded message in order to directly access emergency services, except for devices which may be approved by the office.  Devices approved by the office shall be registered with the office on forms provided by the office.

     c.    Each entity operating a public safety answering point shall be responsible for obtaining, operating, and maintaining enhanced 9-1-1 termination equipment.  The operations and maintenance of this equipment shall be in accordance with standards set forth by the office pursuant to section 3 of [this act] P.L.1989, c.3 (C.52:17C-3).

     d.    No later than the third year following the enactment of             P.L.    , c.    (C.          ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), each public safety answering point shall be equipped with an emergency enhanced 9-1-1 system approved by the office in a manner that is consistent with federal law, for the processing of requests for emergency services sent via text message. 

(cf: P.L.1989, c.3, s.8)

 

     2.    (New Section) The fees imposed pursuant to section 2 of P.L.2004, c.48 (C.52:17C-18) shall be increased by 10 percent.

 

     3.    This act shall take effect immediately and section 2 shall expire on the first day of the 36th month after the date of enactment.

STATEMENT

 

     This bill requires 9-1-1 service facilities to be equipped with enhanced 9-1-1 systems approved by the Office of Emergency Telecommunications Services for the processing of requests for emergency services sent via text message within three years following the enactment of this bill. 

     Under the bill, the 9-1-1 System and Emergency Response Fee is to increase by 10 percent to equip 9-1-1 service facilities with the ability to process requests for emergency services sent via text message.  The fee increase is to expire after a period of three years following the enactment of this bill. 

     Currently, the 9-1-1 System and Emergency Response Fee, which is used to fund the 9-1-1 system, is a $0.90 monthly fee imposed on mobile service customers and telephone company customers in this State.  This bill increases the monthly fee to $0.99.