BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 2459
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 2459 (Torres)
As Introduced February 24, 2012
Majority vote
UTILITIES & COMMERCE 14-0
APPROPRIATIONS 12-5
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|Ayes:|Bradford, Fletcher, |Ayes:|Fuentes, Blumenfield, |
| |Buchanan, Fong, Fuentes, | |Bradford, Charles |
| |Furutani, Gorell, Roger | |Calderon, Campos, Davis, |
| |Hern�ndez, Huffman, Ma, | |Gatto, Ammiano, Hill, |
| |Nestande, Skinner, | |Lara, Mitchell, Solorio |
| |Swanson, Valadao | | |
| | | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
| | |Nays:|Harkey, Donnelly, |
| | | |Nielsen, Norby, Wagner |
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Requires the California 911 Emergency Communications
Office to develop and implement a public education campaign to
instruct the public on appropriate and inappropriate uses of the
911 emergency telephone number system.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Requires every local public agency to have a 911 system that
includes police, firefighting, and emergency medical and
ambulance services.
2)Allows local public agencies to have discretion to include
other emergency services, in the discretion of the affected
local public agency, such as poison control services, suicide
prevention services, and civil defense services.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, ongoing special fund costs in the range of $1.5
million annually for as long as it is determined a public
education campaign is necessary. California Technology Agency
(CTA) notes that the campaign will be statewide and target
diverse populations and demographics, and that growing use of
constantly changing telecommunications technologies will require
AB 2459
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ongoing education efforts. �State Emergency Telephone Number
Account] According to the governor's budget proposal,
expenditures in the State Emergency Telephone Number Account are
projected to total about $123.5 million in 2011-12, while
revenues will total only $81.2 million. This operating
shortfall is covered by a $15.3 million carryover balance in the
account plus repayment of a $28 million loan made from the
account to the General Fund as part of the 2010-11 Budget Act.
The account is projected to have a balance of only $1 million as
of June 30, 2013. Some increase in the surcharge rate will
likely be necessary to address the apparent structural imbalance
in the fund in addition to funding the costs of this bill.
COMMENTS :
According to the author, "AB 2459 establishes a public education
program to help the public better understand the proper and
inappropriate uses of the 9-1-1 system. Improved understanding
of the 9-1-1 emergency system will contribute to more efficient
utilization of emergency resources by the public. The misuse of
the 9-1-1 emergency system contributes to the failure to meet
minimum response times in California, and endangers crime
victims and persons in need of emergency assistance. AB 2459
tasks the California 9-1-1 Emergency Communications Office with
developing the program, taking input from phone carriers and the
responder community, including the 9-1-1 Advisory Board. AB
2459 will enable members of the public to become better partners
in using the 9-1-1 system effectively, and thus enhance public
safety."
Beginning in 1999, 9-1-1 became the national 3-digit emergency
call number. Currently, over 240 million 9-1-1 calls are made
annually to the 6,187 public agencies serving as Public Safety
Answering Points (PSAPs) nationwide. In California, over 480
PSAPs receive nearly 30 million calls annually. An increasing
proportion of these calls are delivered by wireless and internet
technology (over 40% last year). PSAPs are maintained by state
and local law enforcement and public safety agencies that are
responsible both for taking the 9-1-1 emergency calls and
responding to that emergency.
State level oversight is done by the CTA with coordination among
PSAPs. CTA is assisted in this role by a statutory Advisory
Board made up of representative stakeholders from law
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enforcement, public safety and communications providers;
Evolving technology, particularly the migration to wireless
telephony, as well as population growth, changing public
expectations, and changing types of threats and emergencies
entailing different types of response capabilities require
continuous review and upgrading of 9-1-1 systems. Landline
phones now provide 9-1-1 relay operators and dispatchers with
automatic number and location identification (ANI/ALI). The
enactment of the Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act
of 1999 (Federal 911 Act), P.L. 106-81, and the subsequent
adoption of implementing regulations by the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC), 47 Code of Federal Regulations
20.18, required ANI/ALI capability for all wireless 9-1-1 calls
by 2002, although the system does not universally afford a level
of functionality at present that meets FCC standards. The US
Department of Transportation is preparing to implement a digital
911 service, so-called NextGen 911.
The Advisory Board provides oversight to technical and
operational standards for the California 9-1-1 system pertaining
to:
1)Policies, practices and procedures for the California 9-1-1
Emergency Communications Office.
2)Technical and operational standards for the California 9-1-1
system consistent with the National Emergency Number
Association standards.
3)Training standards for county coordinators and PSAP managers.
4)Budget, funding, and reimbursement decisions related to the
State Emergency Telephone Number Account.
5)Proposed projects and studies conducted or funded by the State
Emergency Telephone Number Account.
6)Expediting the roll out of Enhanced 9-1-1 Phase II technology
and future Next Generation 9-1-1 operating systems.
This bill will require the California 911 Emergency
Communications Office to develop and implement a public
education campaign to instruct the public on appropriate and
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inappropriate uses of the 9-1-1 emergency telephone number
system.
As part of the Governor's proposed fiscal year (FY) 2012-2013
budget, the state 9-1-1 Advisory Board is proposed to be
eliminated.
AB 770, AB 2281, ACR 130, and this bill are part of a package of
bills by this author directed toward improving 9-1-1
effectiveness.
Analysis Prepared by : Susan Kateley / U. & C. / (916)
319-2083
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