BILL ANALYSIS �
SENATE GOVERNANCE & FINANCE COMMITTEE
Senator Lois Wolk, Chair
BILL NO: SB 1211 HEARING: 4/24/2014
AUTHOR: Padilla FISCAL: Yes
VERSION: 2/20/2014 TAX LEVY: No
CONSULTANT: Bouaziz
EMERGENCY SERVICES: NEXT GENERATION 911
Requires the Office of Emergency Services (OES) to develop
a plan to implement Next Generation 911 in California.
Background and Existing Law
State law requires OES to administer the state's 911
emergency telephone system, including local dispatch
centers known as Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs),
with funds from a 911 customer surcharge on intrastate
communication service.
The surcharge is determined annually by OES, on or before
October 1, to fund the subsequent year's costs of the state
911 system. The surcharge cannot be greater than
three-quarters of 1 percent nor less than one-half of 1
percent.
Federal law designates up to $7 billion from Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) spectrum auctions to fund a
nationwide public safety broadband network known as
FirstNet and directs that this network integrate 911 PSAPs.
The FCC established May 15, 2014 as the date for large
wireless service providers to enable customers to text to
911 to any PSAP that is "technically ready" and require
carriers to send a "bounce-back" message if the PSAP is not
ready to receive texts.
Next Generation 911 is an Internet Protocol (IP) based
two-way communication system that will enable real time
transmission of voice, text, data, photos, and videos.
Next Generation 911 will build upon, and eventually
replace, the existing 911 voice system that operates on the
legacy switched telephone network.
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OES published a Next Generation 911 roadmap in 2010,
conducted public stakeholder meetings in 2011, and is now
conducting several pilot projects with vendors and PSAPs.
Over the next five years, OES estimates upgrading to Next
Generation 911 will cost an additional $375 million on top
of the $510 million needed to operate the current system.
OES states that it will have refined cost estimates at the
completion of the pilot projects in mid-2015 because of a
50 percent margin of error in the current estimate.
Proposed Law
SB 1211 requires OES to:
Develop a plan and timeline of target dates for
PSAP testing and deployment of text to 911 and a full
Next Generation 911 emergency communication system
throughout California.
Set a yearly surcharge rate no greater than
three-quarters of 1 percent nor less than one-half of
1 percent.
At least one month before finalizing the 911
surcharge rate, to prepare a summary of the
calculation of the proposed surcharge, include the
costs it expects to incur consistent with the plan to
deploy text to 911 and Next Gen 911, and make this
information available to the Legislature, the 911
Advisory Board, and on the office's Internet Web site.
Incorporate, where consistent with public safety
and technologically feasible, shared infrastructure
and elements of FirstNet and other public safety
communications networks that receive state and federal
funding.
State Revenue Impact
Unknown.
Comments
1. Purpose of the bill . According to the author,
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"California's statewide 911 telephone system is on the cusp
of a major upgrade to enable texting to 911 as a new
additional option for requesting assistance in an
emergency. Eventually, "Next Generation 911"
infrastructure will enable real-time transmission of
emergency-related data, photos, and video between the
public and public safety agencies. SB 1211 establishes a
transparent process for adjusting the customer fee that
funds the 911 system. It also requires coordinated
planning of 911 upgrades, and shared infrastructure where
feasible, with other public safety communications networks
deployed in California with state and federal funds."
2. Need . Technological advances in communications have
resulted in consumers moving away from traditional
landlines. Almost 75% of emergency calls are made from a
cellular device, but the current 911 system is not equipped
to receive texts, data, photos, or videos. In an emergency
situation where a call cannot be made, but text or data may
be transmitted, it is imperative that a 911 system that can
receive that information be in place.
3. Sufficient Revenue . SB 1211 does not change the
current statutory surcharge cap. The current 911 program
is in a structural deficit with revenue declining from $133
million in 2005-2006 to a projected $78 million in
2013-2014. According to The California Chapter of the
National Emergency Number Association, even at the maximum
surcharge level, "there is doubt that OES will be able to
fund the current 911 operation for more than a few years."
Additional funding is necessary to transition California's
current 911 system to the Next Generation 911 system, the
author may wish to consider setting the surcharge maximum
at a higher rate.
4. Technical Amendment . SB 1211 states "No later than
September 1 of each year, at least one month before
determining the surcharge rate..." It is unclear why both
the deadlines of September 1 and one month prior are
needed. Committee staff suggests deleting "No later than
September 1 of each year."
Support and Opposition (04/21/14)
Support : AT&T; The California Chapter of the National
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Emergency Number Association; California's Frontier
Communications; Sprint; Verizon.
Opposition : None received.