BILL ANALYSIS
AB 423
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Date of Hearing: May 20, 2009
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Kevin De Leon, Chair
AB 423 (Torres) - As Amended: May 5, 2009
Policy Committee:
UtilitiesVote:11-1
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable:
SUMMARY
This bill adds responsibilities to the Public Safety
Communications Division (PSCD), within the Department of General
Services (DGS), and to the State 911 Advisory Board.
Specifically, this bill:
1)Requires the PSCD, in its biennial review and update of
technical and operational standards, to include standards for
the recruitment and training of public safety dispatchers.
2)Expands the 911 Advisory Board's responsibility for advising
the PSCD to including:
a) Training standards for public safety workers.
b) Issues regarding the receipt of calls in a language
other than English by dispatchers at pubic safety answering
points, and the need for additional recruitment of
multilingual dispatchers, and the need to create
standardized and advanced training programs for all
dispatchers.
3)Adds representatives from the Commission of Peace Officer
Standards and Training (POST) and the Office of the State Fire
Marshal to the advisory board.
FISCAL EFFECT
One-time special fund costs in the range of $250,000 in
contracts to support the advisory board regarding its additional
responsibilities and to assist the division in incorporating
AB 423
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recruitment and training standards into its biennial review.
The division current has only 18 staff positions, and its
administrative function is related to the delivery of calls to
911 centers. The division lacks any expertise with regard to
dispatch center operations and would have to contract for such
expertise to fulfill the requirements of this bill. [State
Emergency Telephone Number Account]
COMMENTS
1)Background . The Warren-911-Emergency Assistance Act (911 Act)
of 1976 was enacted to reduce the time required for a citizen
to request and receive emergency aid. The 911 Act established
DGS as the state oversight entity in order to ensure
cooperation between the public agencies, public safety
agencies, and telephone service areas that were involved with
implementation. Because DGS lacked expertise in this subject
area, the 911 Act also created a board to advise DGS on
specific issues, including technical and operational standards
for the 911 system and training standards for county
coordinators and dispatch center managers.
2)Purpose . According to the author's office, AB 423 addresses
potential improvements in the procedures for recruiting,
training, and ongoing skill development for 911 dispatchers,
who perform a crucial function in the public safety system.
Their job is high-stress, and requires precise and effective
performance in order to relay calls accurately from the public
and making the call to the proper emergency responder.
Recruitment hurdles and high rates of turnover make filling
all dispatcher positions challenging.
Analysis Prepared by : Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081