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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2019 - 2020
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | December 11, 2018 11:57 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Bob Mensch and Sen. Scott Martin |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Pennsylvania Statewide Radio Network Audit |
| In the near future, we plan to introduce legislation to require the Auditor General to conduct an audit of the Pennsylvania Statewide Radio Network (PA-STARNet). PA-STARNet is the commonwealth’s statewide wireless voice and data network for public safety and emergency response communications. It will provide interoperability and enable first responders to communicate without boundaries. This statewide emergency radio communications system has been in the making for decades and is years behind schedule. Pennsylvania taxpayers have invested more than $750 million into PA-STARNet, yet it remained unreliable and often prevented agents in the field from doing their job safely and effectively. As a result, the Senate adopted Senate Resolution 325 of 2016, which urged the Governor and the executive branch to develop a plan to implement a solution for this system. Consequently, the system was turned over to the Pennsylvania State Police and, since that time, they have made great progress towards implementation. Regardless of this progress, it is necessary that we examine the numerous issues that have arisen in regard to PA-STARNet over the past two decades. This legislation will ensure that we gain a thorough understanding of past decision-making and that our taxpayer dollars are being spent wisely in the future. I hope you will join us in support of this legislation. If you have any questions or concerns please contact Mark Fetzko at 717-787-3110 or Cindy Urban at 717-787-6535. |
Introduced as SB768