SENATE AMENDED
PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 82, 994, 1136, 2001 PRINTER'S NO. 2604
No. 72 Session of 1977
INTRODUCED BY MESSRS. KOLTER, MILANOVICH, ZWIKL, LAUGHLIN,
DOMBROWSKI, McCALL, BERLIN, PETRARCA, A. K. HUTCHINSON,
IRVIS, MANDERINO, A. C. FOSTER, BITTINGER, ZORD, MRS. KELLY,
MESSRS. SCHMITT, KLINGAMAN, LETTERMAN, REED, DININNI, CESSAR,
POTT, ZEARFOSS, COWELL, MEBUS, BURD, STAIRS, W. D.
HUTCHINSON, ZELLER, WILSON, O'KEEFE, LOGUE, HELFRICK,
MADIGAN, HALVERSON, PRATT, MELUSKEY, RUGGIERO, COHEN,
FISCHER, BURNS AND MRKONIC, FEBRUARY 7, 1977
SENATOR McKINNEY, STATE GOVERNMENT, IN SENATE, RE-REPORTED AS
AMENDED, FEBRUARY 15, 1978
AN ACT
1 Relating to the implementation of the emergency telephone number <--
2 "911"; providing a title; providing an intent; providing for
3 a State plan; providing a system director; providing for
4 telephone industry coordination; providing for coin telephone
5 conversion; AND providing for system approval AND <--
6 ESTABLISHING THE FUNCTIONS, DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF
7 ALL TELECOMMUNICATIONS WITHIN STATE GOVERNMENT IN THE
8 DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES. PROVIDING FOR THE DEVELOPMENT
9 OF A STATEWIDE EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBER "911" SYSTEM PLAN.
10 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
11 hereby enacts as follows:
12 Section 1. Short title.
13 This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Emergency
14 Telephone Act."
15 Section 2. Legislative intent.
16 The Legislature hereby finds and declares that it is in the
17 public interest to shorten the time required for a citizen to
1 request and receive emergency aid. There currently exist
2 thousands of different emergency phone numbers throughout the
3 Commonwealth. Providing for a single, primary three-digit
4 emergency number through which emergency services can be quickly
5 and efficiently obtained would provide a significant
6 contribution to law enforcement and other public efforts by
7 making it easier to notify emergency center personnel. Such a
8 simplified means of procuring emergency services will result in
9 the saving of life, and reduction in the destruction of
10 property, and quicker apprehension of criminals. It is the
11 intent of the Legislature to establish and implement a cohesive
12 Statewide emergency telephone number "911" plan which will
13 provide citizens with rapid direct access to public emergency
14 operation centers by dialing the telephone number "911," with
15 the objective of reducing the response time to situations
16 requiring law enforcement, fire, medical, rescue, and other
17 emergency services. IT IS THE INTENT OF THE LEGISLATURE THAT <--
18 SAID PLAN BE REVIEWED AND ENACTED INTO LAW AFTER PROPER
19 CONSIDERATION BY THE LEGISLATURE.
20 Section 3. Definitions.
21 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
22 have, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the
23 meanings given to them in this section:
24 "Agency" means that element of the Governor's Office <--
25 designated by the Governor to carry out the purposes of this
26 act.
27 "AGENCY" MEANS THAT ELEMENT OF THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE <--
28 DESIGNATED BY THE GOVERNOR TO CARRY OUT THE PURPOSES OF THIS
29 ACT.
30 "DEPARTMENT" MEANS THE DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES.
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1 "Local government" means any political subdivision or any
2 combination or group thereof.
3 "Public agency" means the State, and any city, county, city
4 and county, municipal corporation, chartered organization,
5 public district, or public authority located in whole or in part
6 within this Commonwealth which provides or has authority to
7 provide fire fighting, law enforcement, ambulance, medical, or
8 other emergency services.
9 "Public safety agency" means a functional division of a
10 public agency which provides fire fighting, law enforcement,
11 medical, or other emergency services.
12 Section 4. State plan.
13 The agency DEPARTMENT shall develop a Statewide emergency <--
14 telephone number "911" system plan within 18 months of the
15 effective date of this act. The plan shall provide for:
16 (1) The establishment of the public agency emergency
17 telephone communications requirements for each entity of
18 local government in the State; provided, however, that all
19 applicants for the service herein established shall make
20 arrangements with the telephone utility involved to serve the
21 entire central office district or districts of said utility.
22 (2) A system to meet specific local government
23 requirements. Such system shall include law enforcement, fire
24 fighting, and emergency medical services, and may include
25 other emergency services such as poison control, suicide
26 prevention, and civil defense services.
27 (3) Identification of the mutual aid agreements
28 necessary to obtain an effective "911" system.
29 (4) A funding provision which shall identify the cost
30 necessary to implement the "911" system.
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1 (5) A schedule which shall provide for full
2 implementation of the Statewide emergency telephone number
3 "911" system plan within seven years of the effective date of
4 this act. The schedule shall be designed to permit orderly
5 implementation and to accommodate local variances.
6 THE AGENCY SHALL DEVELOP A STATEWIDE EMERGENCY TELEPHONE <--
7 NUMBER "911" SYSTEM PLAN, WHICH SHALL BE SUBMITTED TO THE
8 LEGISLATURE WITHIN 18 MONTHS OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS ACT
9 FOR PROPOSED ENACTMENT. THE PLAN SHALL PROVIDE FOR:
10 (1) THE PUBLIC AGENCY EMERGENCY TELEPHONE COMMUNICATIONS
11 REQUIREMENTS FOR EACH ENTITY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN THE
12 STATE.
13 (2) A SYSTEM TO MEET SPECIFIC LOCAL GOVERNMENT
14 REQUIREMENTS. SUCH SYSTEM SHALL INCLUDE LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIRE
15 FIGHTING, AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES, AND MAY INCLUDE
16 OTHER EMERGENCY SERVICES SUCH AS POISON CONTROL, SUICIDE
17 PREVENTION, AND CIVIL DEFENSE SERVICES.
18 (3) IDENTIFICATION OF EXISTING "911" SYSTEMS IN
19 OPERATION. ADDITIONALLY, RECOMMENDATIONS FOR COORDINATING
20 EXISTING "911" SYSTEMS AND NEW SYSTEMS NECESSITATED BY THE
21 STATEWIDE PLAN SHALL BE PART OF THE PLAN.
22 (4) THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE MUTUAL AID AGREEMENTS
23 NECESSARY TO OBTAIN AN EFFECTIVE "911" SYSTEM.
24 (5) A COST ANALYSIS WHICH SHALL IDENTIFY THE COSTS
25 NECESSARY TO ESTABLISH AND OPERATE A STATEWIDE "911" SYSTEM
26 BOTH AT THE STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEVELS.
27 (6) RECOMMENDATIONS AS TO HOW SAID COSTS SHALL BE PAID
28 AND FROM WHICH SOURCES OF REVENUE. ADDITIONALLY, THE PLAN
29 SHALL IDENTIFY AND DELINEATE ALL EXISTING FEDERAL, STATE,
30 LOCAL, AND PRIVATE FUNDING SOURCES AVAILABLE.
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1 (7) A PROPOSED SCHEDULE FOR FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
2 STATEWIDE EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBER "911" SYSTEM PLAN. THE
3 SCHEDULE SHALL BE DESIGNATED TO PERMIT ORDERLY IMPLEMENTATION
4 AND ACCOMMODATE LOCAL VARIANCES.
5 Section 5. Agency DEPARTMENT AGENCY functions and <--
6 responsibilities.
7 The agency designated by the Governor to carry out the <--
8 purposes of this act DEPARTMENT AGENCY DESIGNATED BY THE <--
9 GOVERNOR TO CARRY OUT THE PURPOSES OF THIS ACT shall promulgate <--
10 PUBLISH, in accordance with the act of July 31, 1968 (P.L.769, <--
11 No.240), known as the "Commonwealth Documents Law," the
12 necessary rules, procedures, and plan AND PROPOSED <--
13 implementation schedules relating to public agencies for
14 implementing and administering the plan FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND <--
15 REVIEW. Said agency shall also have a director with THE <--
16 FUNCTIONS, DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF ALL TELECOMMUNICATIONS
17 OF THE COMMONWEALTH, SHALL BE ESTABLISHED WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT,
18 INCLUDING the SAID AGENCY SHALL ALSO HAVE A DIRECTOR WITH THE <--
19 responsibility of carrying out the provisions of this act. He <--
20 THE DEPARTMENT HE shall coordinate the plan development and <--
21 implementation of the system with State, county, local, and
22 private agencies. For the purposes of this act, the director is <--
23 authorized to THE DEPARTMENT MAY FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS ACT, <--
24 THE DIRECTOR IS AUTHORIZED TO employ professional and clerical
25 persons in such staff capacities as required for administrative
26 or project team operations and to hire professional consultants
27 pursuant to the limitations prescribed in the act of April 9,
28 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known as "The Administrative Code of
29 1929". The director DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR shall also coordinate <--
30 with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission and with the
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1 Pennsylvania telephone utility or utilities involved for a
2 timely implementation of "911". Nothing contained in this act
3 shall be construed, or is intended to be construed, to limit the
4 jurisdiction of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission over
5 the Pennsylvania telephone utility involved or in such utility's
6 participation in said implementation of "911".
7 Section 6. Coin telephones. <--
8 The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission shall establish
9 rules to be followed by the telephone utilities in Pennsylvania
10 designed toward directing the provision of coin free dialing of
11 "911" calls wherever economically practicable and in the public
12 interest.
13 Section 7. System implementation.
14 From the effective date of this act, all emergency telephone
15 number "911" systems shall be established or expanded in
16 consonance with the provisions of the Statewide emergency
17 telephone number "911" system plan. Preliminary review and
18 approval procedures shall be established by the agency as <--
19 provided in this act DEPARTMENT and implementation or expansion <--
20 of such "911" systems shall be effected by a public agency only
21 subsequent to such review and approval for compatibility with
22 the Statewide plan. Nothing in this act shall be construed to
23 prohibit or discourage the formation of multijurisdictional or
24 regional systems, and any system established pursuant to this
25 act may include the jurisdiction, or any portion thereof, of
26 more than one public agency.
27 Section 8. Compliance.
28 The agency DEPARTMENT shall assist all public agencies in <--
29 their efforts to carry out the intent of this act to insure
30 compliance by such agencies with the Statewide plan.
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1 SECTION 9. FUNDING. <--
2 THE FUNDS NECESSARY TO SUPPORT THE FUNCTIONS, DUTIES AND
3 RESPONSIBILITIES OF ALL TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES AND SUPPORT
4 ACTIVITIES OF THE COMMONWEALTH FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 1977-1978
5 SHALL BE TRANSFERRED FROM THE APPROPRIATE BUDGET WITHIN THE
6 GOVERNOR'S OFFICE TO THE DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES. FUTURE
7 YEARS FUNDING SHALL BE BILLED DIRECTLY BY THE DEPARTMENT OF
8 GENERAL SERVICES TO THE AGENCIES UNDER THE GOVERNORS
9 JURISDICTION.
10 ANY AND ALL FUNDS CITED IN THE GENERAL APPROPRIATION ACT OF
11 1977 FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A STATEWIDE
12 EMERGENCY TELEPHONE SYSTEM SHALL BE TRANSFERRED TO THE
13 DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES.
14 Section 9 10 6. Effective date. <--
15 This act shall take effect immediately.
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