1Urging Governor Tom Corbett to terminate the 3rd party emergency
2dispatch pilot program on behalf of the Commonwealth's towing
3companies, towers and first responders.

4WHEREAS, In 2011, the Pennsylvania State Police began looking
5at implementing a program of 3rd party vendor dispatching for
6emergency towing; and

7WHEREAS, In 2013, the Pennsylvania State Police issued a
8request for proposal to solicit interested businesses to submit
9proposals to conduct a 3rd party vendor dispatching pilot
10program; and

11WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania State Police indicated that only
12three entities submitted proposals; and

13WHEREAS, In the fall of 2013, the Pennsylvania State Police
14accepted a proposal submitted by a 3rd party vendor located in
15California; and

1WHEREAS, A contract was signed between the Pennsylvania State
2Police and the vendor to conduct a pilot program beginning in
3the northwestern part of this Commonwealth; and

4WHEREAS, The vendor began work in October and dispatched a
5first tow on December 3, 2013; and

6WHEREAS, Since the initiation of the 3rd party vendor
7emergency dispatch program, many towing businesses and first
8responders throughout this Commonwealth have expressed both
9reservations and concerns about the implementation of the pilot
10program; and

11WHEREAS, A joint public hearing was conducted on the issue on
12May 14, 2014, by both the Veterans Affairs and Emergency
13Preparedness and Judiciary Committees of the House of
14Representatives; and

15WHEREAS, Testimony was provided by the Pennsylvania State
16Police, the vendor and the Pennsylvania Towing Association, as
17well as towers from the industry; and

18WHEREAS, Several members from among the committees at the
19joint public hearing have strongly expressed concern that the
203rd party emergency towing dispatch pilot program should be
21terminated and that strong consideration should instead be
22directed at utilizing Pennsylvanian's county 911 dispatch
23centers, which currently dispatch police, fire and EMS services
24across this Commonwealth; therefore be it

25RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives strongly urge
26Governor Tom Corbett to terminate the 3rd party emergency
27dispatch pilot program on behalf of the Commonwealth's towing
28companies, towers and first responders; and be it further

29RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives express its
30interest in examining the use of the Commonwealth's county 911

1dispatch centers; and be it further

2RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives respectfully
3request that the Governor establish a select committee made up
4of representatives from the following areas of interest: the
5Pennsylvania State Police, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management
6Agency, the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania,
7county 911 dispatchers, the Pennsylvania Towing Association, the
8Towing and Recovery Association of America, the Pennsylvania
9Association of Township Supervisors and the Pennsylvania
10Association of Boroughs; and be it further

11RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be sent to the
12Governor.