SB 1212, as amended, Hueso. “2-1-1” information and referral network.
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.
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 ofbegin delete region.end deletebegin insert
region, if the Public Utilities Commission determines that doing so is an appropriate use of funds collected from ratepayers.end insert The bill would additionally authorize moneys appropriated to the Public Utilities Commission to be used to fund and improve a coordinated, publicly owned database to provide regional referrals to help with all aspects of disaster planning, recovery, andbegin delete response.end deletebegin insert response, if the Public Utilities Commission determines that doing so is an appropriate use of funds collected from ratepayers.end insert
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the
2following:
3(1) In order to create a statewide disaster preparedness, response,
4and recovery system and to facilitate the reach of local services to
5vulnerable populations, this act is established to expand 2-1-1
6services to all areas of California that do not currently have access
7to this vital service.
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.
16(3) 2-1-1 service is a natural hub for disaster-related information
17and plays a critical role during emergencies and disasters, such as
18fires, floods, earthquakes, terrorist attacks, and epidemics, reducing
19nonemergency call volume on 9-1-1 lines, which frees up
P3 1emergency responders to deal with true life-or-death situations,
2thus leveraging local public safety resources.
3(4) 2-1-1 service also increases the reach of government,
4nonprofit, and community programs by offering callers information
5on and access to a variety of health and
human services, rent and
6utility assistance, physical and mental health resources,
7employment opportunities, support for older Americans and
8persons with disabilities, and support for families with special
9needs.
10(5) 2-1-1 service call centers are staffed with highly trained
11specialists who have expertise in navigating the web of health and
12human services in a particular community and who have up-to-date
13information and guidance for callers in times of disaster.
14(6) 2-1-1 service call center specialists are able to answer calls
15in over 150 different languages; they are able to provide critical
16health information to otherwise hard-to-reach ethnic populations.
17(7) Twenty rural counties in California currently do not have
18access
to 2-1-1 services, creating holes in referral services and
19disaster response capability.
20(b) It is the intent of the Legislature, in enacting this act, to
21facilitate the expansion of 2-1-1 services into those counties in
22California where they are lacking and to support a comprehensive
23statewide database that will connect all callers to the information
24and referrals they need.
25(c) It is the intent of the Legislature to facilitate access to disaster
26preparedness, response, and recovery information, and referral
27services, uniformly in the state, especially in hard-to-serve rural
28areas, through a universally available 2-1-1 telephone service.
29(d) begin deleteMoneys end deletebegin insertIf
the commission determines that doing so is an
30appropriate use of funds collected from ratepayers, moneys end insert
31appropriated to the Public Utilities Commission may be expended
32to help close telephone service gaps in counties lacking access to
33disaster preparedness, response, and recovery information, and
34referral services, through a universally available, high-quality basic
352-1-1 telephone service to all residents of California regardless of
36region.begin delete Moneysend deletebegin insert If the commission determines that doing so is an
37appropriate use of funds collected from ratepayers, moneysend insert
38
appropriated to the Public Utilities Commission may also be used
39to fund and improve a coordinated, publicly owned database to
P4 1provide regional referrals to help with all aspects of disaster
2planning, recovery, and response.
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