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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2019 - 2020
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | November 8, 2019 01:11 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Bob Mensch and Sen. Ryan P. Aument, Sen. Scott Martin, Sen. Kristin Phillips-Hill |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Granting the Pennsylvania State Police statutory authority and control over the Commonwealth’s Public Safety Statewide Radio Network |
| In the near future, we plan to introduce legislation that would grant the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) statutory authority and control over the Commonwealth’s Public Safety Statewide Radio Network (STARNet). PA-STARNet is the commonwealth’s statewide wireless voice and data network for public safety and emergency response communications On July 1, 2012, the PSP was designated, via Management Directive 245.15, Pennsylvania Statewide Radio Network (PA STARNet), to operate, regulate, manage and maintain public safety and emergency communications. Prior to this designation Pennsylvania taxpayers had invested over $750 million dollars into PA-STARNet and it had remained unreliable, often preventing our agents in the field from doing their job safely and effectively. Since that time, the PSP have effectively and efficiently carried out their duties while also deploying a new P25 land mobile radio system. This non-proprietary radio system provides interoperability among, county, state, and federal agencies and is sixty-five percent (65%) completed across the commonwealth. The project has remained on time and on budget since its commencement in January 2017. Legislation should support the Pennsylvania State Police’s permanent assignment for overseeing the operation and management of the Statewide Radio Network. They hold vendors accountable and ensure stewardship of commonwealth funds, equipment, communications and information infrastructure. I hope you will join us in support of this legislation. |
Introduced as SB984