Amended in Senate March 28, 2016

Senate BillNo. 1212


Introduced by Senator Hueso

February 18, 2016


An act relating to telecommunications.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SB 1212, as amended, Hueso. “2-1-1” information and referral network.

begin insert

Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities, including telephone corporations. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), pursuant to its existing authority over the North American Numbering Plan, has established several abbreviated dialing codes, including designating the number 9-1-1 for persons to dial to obtain emergency services, designating the number 3-1-1 for persons to dial for nonemergency police assistance, and designating the number 2-1-1 for persons to dial to obtain information about, and referral to, community social services. Pursuant to authority delegated by the FCC to state regulatory bodies and its existing statutory authority, the Public Utilities Commission has established procedures for implementing 2-1-1 dialing in California.

end insert
begin insert

This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to facilitate the expansion of 2-1-1 services into those counties in California where they are lacking and to support a comprehensive statewide database that will connect all callers to information and referrals they need. The bill would additionally state the intent of the Legislature to facilitate access to disaster preparedness, response, and recovery information, and referral services, uniformly in the state, especially in hard-to-serve rural areas, through a universally available telephone service. The bill would authorize moneys appropriated to the Public Utilities Commission to be expended to help close telephone service gaps in counties lacking access to disaster preparedness, response, and recovery information, and referral services, through a universally available high-quality basic telephone service to all residents of California regardless of region. The bill would additionally authorize moneys appropriated to the Public Utilities Commission to be used to fund and improve a coordinated database to provide regional referrals to help with all aspects of disaster planning, recovery, and response.

end insert
begin delete

Existing law authorizes a local public agency, as defined, to establish a nonemergency “311” telephone system, and authorizes the Public Safety Communications Division in the Office of Emergency Services to, among other things, aid local public agencies in the formulation of concepts, methods, and procedures that will improve the operation of the “311” systems and to increase cooperation among public agencies.

end delete
begin delete

This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to enhance the status and system of the 211 information and referral network to provide coordinated services and resources to all California residents.

end delete

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: begin deleteno end deletebegin insertyesend insert. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

P2    1begin insert

begin insertSECTION 1.end insert  

end insert
begin insert

(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the
2following:

end insert
begin insert

3
(1) In order to create a statewide disaster preparedness,
4response, and recovery system and to facilitate the reach of local
5services to vulnerable populations, this act is established to expand
62-1-1 services to all areas of California that do not currently have
7access to this vital service.

end insert
begin insert

8
(2) 2-1-1 service is a free, accessible, three-digit telephone
9number that gives everyone in covered areas access to needed
10community services. First established in 2005, 2-1-1 service now
11covers 38 California counties. It is available 24 hours a day, seven
12days a week, allowing residents to access information about health
13and human services, emergency care, crisis intervention, and
14disaster preparedness, response, and recovery when they need it
15most.

end insert
begin insert

P3    1
(3) 2-1-1 service is a natural hub for disaster-related
2information and plays a critical role during emergencies and
3disasters, such as fires, floods, earthquakes, terrorist attacks, and
4epidemics, reducing nonemergency call volume on 9-1-1 lines,
5which frees up emergency responders to deal with true life-or-death
6situations, thus leveraging local public safety resources.

end insert
begin insert

7
(4) 2-1-1 service also increases the reach of government,
8nonprofit, and community programs by offering callers information
9on and access to a variety of health and human services, rent and
10utility assistance, physical and mental health resources,
11employment opportunities, support for older Americans and
12persons with disabilities, and support for families with special
13needs.

end insert
begin insert

14
(5) 2-1-1 service call centers are staffed with highly trained
15specialists who have expertise in navigating the web of health and
16human services in a particular community and who have up-to-date
17information and guidance for callers in times of disaster.

end insert
begin insert

18
(6) 2-1-1 service call center specialists are able to answer calls
19in over 150 different languages; they are able to provide critical
20health information to otherwise hard-to-reach ethnic populations.

end insert
begin insert

21
(7) Twenty rural counties in California currently do not have
22access to 2-1-1 services, creating holes in referral services and
23disaster response capability.

end insert
begin insert

24
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature, in enacting this act, to
25facilitate the expansion of 2-1-1 services into those counties in
26California where they are lacking and to support a comprehensive
27statewide database that will connect all callers to the information
28and referrals they need.

end insert
begin insert

29
(c) It is the intent of the Legislature to facilitate access to
30disaster preparedness, response, and recovery information, and
31referral services, uniformly in the state, especially in hard-to-serve
32rural areas, through a universally available telephone service.

end insert
begin insert

33
(d) Moneys appropriated to the Public Utilities Commission
34may be expended to help close telephone service gaps in counties
35lacking access to disaster preparedness, response, and recovery
36information, and referral services, through a universally available,
37high-quality basic telephone service to all residents of California
38regardless of region. Moneys appropriated to the Public Utilities
39Commission may also be used to fund and improve a coordinated
P4    1database to provide regional referrals to help with all aspects of
2disaster planning, recovery, and response.

end insert
begin delete
3

SECTION 1.  

It is the intent of the Legislature to enact
4legislation to enhance the status and system of the 2-1-1
5information and referral network to provide coordinated services
6and resources to all California residents.

end delete


O

    98