PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 2765, 3129 PRINTER'S NO. 3638
No. 2176 Session of 1980
INTRODUCED BY MRS. HONAMAN, MESSRS. FRYER, PICCOLA, DUFFY,
ALDEN, GLADECK, GALLEN, BROWN, KOLTER, DININNI, MANMILLER,
MOEHLMANN, WENGER, A. C. FOSTER, JR. AND MILLER, JANUARY
23, 1980
AS AMENDED ON THIRD CONSIDERATION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
JUNE 23, 1980
AN ACT
1 Providing for a Statewide emergency telephone number "911"
2 system, establishing the Office of Telecommunication in the
3 Department of General Services and providing for its powers
4 and duties, and making a repeal.
5 The General Assembly finds and declares that it is in the
6 public interest to shorten the time required for a citizen to
7 request and receive emergency aid Providing BY PROVIDING a <--
8 single, primary, three-digit, toll free emergency number, "911"
9 as the telephone number by which any citizen within the borders
10 of the Commonwealth may gain rapid, direct access to a public
11 safety answering point, with the objective of reducing response
12 time to situations requiring law enforcement, fire, medical,
13 rescue or any other emergency service. IT IS THE INTENT OF THE <--
14 GENERAL ASSEMBLY THAT THE COMMONWEALTH ASSUME FULL
15 RESPONSIBILITY FOR COSTS, AS DEFINED IN SECTION 4 OF THIS ACT,
16 ASSOCIATED WITH STATEWIDE IMPLEMENTATION AND OPERATION OF THIS
17 PROGRAM. It is the further intent of the General Assembly that
1 authority and responsibility for establishing, operating and
2 maintaining adequate facilities for answering emergency calls
3 for public safety assistance and dispatching proper responses to
4 satisfy the caller's requirements shall be vested in the county
5 level of local government. The General Assembly has determined
6 that the most logical and cost effective level of government is
7 at county level. Each county is encouraged TO IMPLEMENT THE <--
8 "911" SYSTEM AND to consider maximum integration of
9 telecommunication facilities and capabilities within their
10 planning, in order to economize the monetary costs, as well as
11 to effect a more rapid response capability, WITHIN THE TIME <--
12 PERIOD PROVIDED IN THE ACT.
13 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
14 hereby enacts as follows:
15 Section 1. Short title.
16 This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Public
17 Safety Emergency Telephone Act."
18 Section 2. Definitions.
19 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
20 have, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the
21 meanings given to them in this section:
22 "ANNUAL PLAN." THE DOCUMENT SUBMITTED BY THE COUNTY TO THE <--
23 OFFICE OF TELECOMMUNICATION, AS A REQUEST FOR FUNDING OF
24 IMPLEMENTATION AND OPERATIONAL COSTS AS AUTHORIZED IN SECTION 4.
25 THIS ANNUAL PLAN SHALL BE USED BY THE OFFICE OF
26 TELECOMMUNICATION IN COMPILING INFORMATION FOR THE ANNUAL REPORT
27 TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
28 "Basic 911 system." A system which permits a person dialing
29 911 by telephone to be connected to a Public Safety Answering
30 Point (PSAP) via normal telephone facilities.
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1 "Central office." A place where the switching of telephone
2 calls occur, whether automatically or manually.
3 "Local government." A city, county, borough, incorporated <--
4 town or township, or any combination thereof.
5 "Public agency." The Commonwealth and any municipality,
6 political subdivision, municipal authority or chartered
7 organization located in whole or in part within the Commonwealth
8 which provides or has the authority to provide law enforcement,
9 fire protection, rescue, ambulance, medical or other emergency
10 services.
11 "Public safety agency." That part or unit of a public agency
12 which provides law enforcement, fire protection, rescue,
13 ambulance, medical or other emergency services.
14 "Public safety answering point" or "PSAP." The first point
15 where calls for assistance from citizens for public safety
16 agencies are answered.
17 Section 3. Office of Telecommunication.
18 (a) Establishment.--There is hereby established the Office
19 of Telecommunication within the Department of General Services.
20 The office shall have a director and technical staff, who are
21 telecommunications professionals certified and employed through
22 the Civil Service Commission.
23 (b) Powers and duties.--The office shall have the following
24 powers and duties:
25 (1) To be responsible for the central management of the <--
26 telecommunications system for the Commonwealth and its
27 agencies as well as the Statewide implementation of the "911
28 program."
29 (1) TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CENTRAL MANAGEMENT OF <--
30 TELECOMMUNICATION FOR THE COMMONWEALTH.
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1 (2) TO PROVIDE INFORMATION REGARDING FEDERAL OR STATE
2 GRANTS, FOR WHICH THE APPLICANT COUNTIES MAY BE ELIGIBLE.
3 (2) (3) To provide technical assistance as requested by <--
4 the counties in developing their "911" implementation plans.
5 (3) (4) To receive, review and act on the plans <--
6 submitted by the counties to implement "911" service.
7 (4) (5) To review and act on filed requests for <--
8 extension of time to implement the "911" system AND MAINTAIN <--
9 THE "911" SYSTEM ELIGIBLE FOR FUNDING UNDER THE ACT.
10 (5) (6) To develop and promulgate a Statewide publicity <--
11 program which will have as its goal educating citizens of
12 Pennsylvania with the implementation of "911" service and to
13 provide TECHNICAL assistance to county governments to <--
14 publicize the implementation of "911" throughout the area.
15 (6) (7) To submit an annual report of activities to the <--
16 General Assembly on or before January 1 of each year. This
17 report shall include a proposed budget for the next fiscal
18 year together with approved requests for funding from
19 counties for the next fiscal year.
20 Section 4. Funding.
21 (a) Approval by office.--The office shall be authorized to
22 accept requests for funding of "911" system and to establish and
23 promulgate guidelines by which the counties are to submit their
24 respective requests for funding and the guidelines for
25 administering those funds. The office shall approve all <--
26 applications for funding prior to the granting of such funds.
27 (b) Funded elements.--The following elements of "911"
28 emergency telephone system shall be funded for each county: THE <--
29 OFFICE SHALL HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO ESTABLISH THE PARAMETERS OF
30 COUNTY "911" PLANS THAT WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE FOR FUNDING AND
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1 SHALL SUBMIT APPROVED ANNUAL PLANS TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FOR
2 FUNDING ACTION.
3 (B) FUNDED ELEMENTS.--THE ONGOING SERVICE COSTS FOR THE
4 FOLLOWING ELEMENTS OF THE "911" EMERGENCY TELEPHONE SYSTEM,
5 INCURRED AFTER THE ENACTMENT OF THIS ACT, SHALL BE FULLY FUNDED
6 FOR EACH COUNTY WHICH SO REQUESTS:
7 (1) The cost of trunk line service from a telephone
8 central office exchange to the public safety answering point.
9 (2) The cost of the telephone terminal equipment
10 installed in the public safety answering point, dedicated to
11 "911" service.
12 (3) The cost of dedicated trunk line service between
13 public safety answering points. in adjacent counties. <--
14 (4) The one-time installation cost attendant to (1), (2)
15 and (3), are authorized for funding for systems implemented
16 after the enactment of this act.
17 (5) The cost involved in the hiring of extra persons
18 because of implementing a "911" system, to a maximum of five
19 employees.
20 (4) ADDITIONAL ELEMENTS OF "911" EMERGENCY TELEPHONE <--
21 SERVICE WHERE JUSTIFIED AS COST EFFECTIVE.
22 (5) FUNDING FOR ONE-TIME INSTALLATION CHARGES ATTENDANT
23 TO (1), (2), (3) AND (4), INCURRED SUBSEQUENT TO ENACTMENT OF
24 THIS ACT, SHALL BE AVAILABLE UNTIL JANUARY 1 OF THE SIXTH
25 YEAR AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS ACT.
26 (6) THE WAGES AND BENEFITS INVOLVES IN HIRING OF EXTRA
27 PERSONS BECAUSE OF IMPLEMENTING A "911" SYSTEM, TO A MAXIMUM
28 OF FIVE EMPLOYEES.
29 (C) EXISTING SYSTEMS.--ALL LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WHICH HAVE AN
30 EXISTING "911" SYSTEM ON THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS ACT SHALL BE
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1 ELIGIBLE FOR FUNDING OR FOR REIMBURSEMENT IN THE SAME MANNER AS
2 PROVIDED IN THIS SECTION.
3 (c) (D) Source.--Moneys for the above purposes shall be <--
4 provided from the General Fund. IF, IN ANY FISCAL YEAR, <--
5 APPROPRIATIONS ARE INSUFFICIENT TO COVER THE COSTS OF GRANTS AND
6 REIMBURSEMENT TO THOSE COUNTIES WHICH MAKE TIMELY REQUESTS IN
7 THAT FISCAL YEAR, THE DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES SHALL
8 REPORT SUCH FACT TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND SHALL REQUEST
9 APPROPRIATION OF FUNDS NECESSARY TO PROVIDE THE GRANTS
10 AUTHORIZED IN THIS SECTION. IF SUCH A DEFICIENCY APPROPRIATION
11 IS NOT ENACTED ANY COUNTY WHICH HAS NOT RECEIVED THE FULL AMOUNT
12 OF THE GRANT FOR WHICH IT IS ELIGIBLE UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL
13 BE AS A FIRST PRIORITY REIMBURSED FROM APPROPRIATIONS MADE IN
14 THE NEXT SUCCESSIVE FISCAL YEAR.
15 Section 5. Counties.
16 Counties (A) COUNTIES, WHICH ELECT TO PROVIDE THE "911" <--
17 SERVICE, IN THEIR COUNTY shall have the following powers and
18 duties in relation to the "911" system:
19 (1) To install, operate and maintain a "911" emergency
20 telephone system within the county.
21 (2) To make arrangements with telephone companies to
22 serve the entire central office, district or districts of the
23 company.
24 (3) To plan and implement a "911" emergency telephone
25 system adequate to provide service for the entire county not
26 later than January 1 of the sixth year after enactment of
27 this act.
28 (4) To execute all contracts, mutual aid agreements,
29 cross service agreements and all other necessary documents
30 which may be required in the implementation of the "911"
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1 system.
2 (5) To file requests for extension of the implementation
3 date, when local circumstances preclude attaining the
4 established date.
5 (B) NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL BE CONSTRUED TO REQUIRE <--
6 COMPLIANCE WITH THE ACT BY THE COUNTY. ANY COUNTY NOT ELECTING
7 TO COMPLY WITH THE ACT SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO ANY CRIMINAL OR
8 CIVIL PENALTIES UNDER LAW.
9 Section 6. Telephone companies.
10 (a) Basic "911" service.--Those telephone companies which
11 provide general telephone service to subscribers in the
12 Commonwealth shall provide basic "911" service in their
13 exchanges by January 1 of the fifth year after enactment of this
14 act.
15 (b) Time extension.--A telephone company may request an
16 extension of time to comply with this act, where an extension is
17 reasonably necessary due to unusual technical or financial
18 impediments. This request shall be made to the Office of
19 Telecommunications.
20 Section 7. Regional systems.
21 Nothing in this act shall be construed to prohibit the
22 formation of multijurisdictional or regional systems, and any
23 system established pursuant to this act may include the
24 territory of more than one public agency or may include a
25 segment of the territory of a public agency.
26 SECTION 8. PENALTY. <--
27 ANY PERSON WHO INTENTIONALLY CALLS THE "911" EMERGENCY NUMBER
28 FOR OTHER THAN EMERGENCY PURPOSES SHALL BE GUILTY OF A
29 MISDEMEANOR OF THE THIRD DEGREE.
30 Section 8 9. Repeal. <--
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1 The act of April 28, 1978 (P.L.90, No.42), entitled "An act
2 providing for the development of a Statewide emergency telephone
3 number "911" system plan and establishing the Bureau of
4 Telecommunications with the duties and responsibilities for all
5 telecommunications with State Government," is repealed.
6 Section 9 10. Effective date. <--
7 This act shall take effect immediately.
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