BILL ANALYSIS
AB 1679
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Date of Hearing: May 3, 2010
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON UTILITIES AND COMMERCE
Steven Bradford, Chair
AB 1679 (Torres) - As Introduced: January 25, 2010
SUBJECT : Public Safety Telecommunicators Week
SUMMARY : Establishes the California Public Safety
Telecommunicators Week. Specifically, this bill:
1) Makes various findings and declarations pertaining to the
state's emergency responders and emergency response system.
2) Designates the second full week in April, beginning in
2011, as California Public Safety Telecommunicators Week
for the purpose of raising awareness of the great
importance of 911 service and its role in keeping the
public safe.
3) Requires the Governor and the Legislature to annually issue
proclamations and resolutions that draw public attention to
the week in order to encourage the private sector and state
and local agencies to initiate activities recognizing
public safety telecommunicators.
EXISTING LAW :
1) Establishes the Warren-911-Emergency Assistance Act and to
provide a single, primary three-digit emergency number
through which emergency services can be quickly and
efficiently obtained. The Act requires every local public
agency to establish and operate, or be a part of, a 911
emergency telephone system.
2) Designates the first week in January, commencing in 1995,
as Braille Literacy Week (Chapter 30.5, Statutes of 1994).
3) Designates the last week of August, commencing in 1991, as
California's Salute to Youth Achievement Week (Chapter 30,
Statutes of 1990).
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown.
COMMENTS : According to the author, "The women and men who work
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in the nation's 911 system perform jobs that are crucial to the
safety of the public in responding to requests for response and
help in emergencies. These are high stress, high responsibility
positions that require real courage - grace under pressure.
These women and men are fully deserving of our state's
recognition and respect."
Background : Nationally, more than 500,000 people are engaged in
the operation of emergency response systems for federal, state,
and local government entities, including an estimated 55,000 men
and women in California. This includes both those who respond
to emergency calls for police, fire, and medical assistance and
those who dispatch emergency response personnel.
According to the author, "Public safety telecommunicators are
the first point of contact for most interactions between members
of the public and the public safety systems that keep
Californians safe, and the public expects and receives
extraordinarily dedicated service from these individuals.
America's public safety telecommunicators serve the public in
countless ways each day, often without recognition by the
beneficiaries of their services."
Since 1994, the National Public Safety Telecommunicator Week has
dedicated the second full week of April to the men and women who
serve as public safety telecommunicators.
The Legislature first established a California Public Safety
Telecommunicators' Week in 2009 (ACR 37, Torres and others).
ACR 107 (Torres), which passed the Assembly in March, designates
the week beginning April 11, 2010, as California Public Safety
Telecommunicators' Week.
This bill makes these resolutions permanent in statute. Similar
laws have been passed to recognize Braille literacy and youth
achievement.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs
California Professional Firefighters (CPF)
Riverside Sheriffs' Association
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Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by : Angela Mapp / U. & C. / (916) 319-2083