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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | March 17, 2014 01:07 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Bob Mensch and Sen. Lisa Baker |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | 9-1-1 Legislation |
| Please join us in co-sponsoring legislation that will provide for the continued funding of the Commonwealth’s 69 emergency 9-1-1 call centers. It will also extend the sunset date for the current 9-1-1 fee structure, due to expire on June 30, 2014, until December 31, 2014. Under current law, the 9-1-1 system is funded most heavily by a combination of monthly charges on wireline and wireless connections (in most cases, $1 a month on each landline and cell phone.) Because landline use is declining and technology is changing at such a rapid pace, we plan to make the 9-1-1 fee “technology-neutral,” to be levied on all present and future communications devices capable of contacting 9-1-1. With sufficient revenue, counties will be able to cover costs and upgrade their systems to accept text-to-9-1-1 and video-to-9-1-1 messages. On the expenditure side, we hope to help counties reduce costs through consolidation. The details of the legislation will be fleshed out at a hearing to be held by the Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee in late April. The legislation is expected to include these five key elements: --a fee structure on devices that gives counties a reliable source of funding from year-to-year, --a fee structure that keeps pace with inflation and the true cost of 9-1-1 service, --a distribution formula that provides incentives for consolidation, --a distribution formula with inherent flexibility to accommodate large events, high traffic volume and special projects, --a distribution formula based upon objective criteria, to include call volume and population, but which ensures that communities large and small can provide this critical service. By extending the sunset date until December 31, 2014, all interested stakeholders will be given sufficient time to work on a fair, reliable fee structure and an objective, flexible distribution formula that keeps pace with ever-changing technology and the growing demands on 9-1-1 call centers. Thank you for your support of this critical public safety measure. |