House Bill Analysis - HB 1703, Modernizing the Statewide 911 Emergency Communications System (Hearing 1/12/22)
Summary
A House Bill Analysis of HB 1703, Modernizing the statewide 911 emergency communications system, prepared by the Office of Program Research for the Community & Economic Development Committee, with a hearing date of 1/12/22. The sponsors are Representatives Orwall, Boehnke, Ryu and others, by request of Military Department. Its brief summary says the bill adds new definitions to the Emergency Management Act and to Enhanced 911 (E-911) excise tax provisions, removes the term "enhanced" where it describes 911 systems, modifies the duties of the state E-911 Coordination Office, and adds members to the E-911 Advisory Committee. It states Appropriation: None and Fiscal Note: Requested on January 5, 2022.
Summary drafted by a model from the document's text below and checked by script against that text before publication. It is a navigation aid, not a reading of what the document proves. Where AI is used
Cite this document
“House Bill Analysis - HB 1703, Modernizing the Statewide 911 Emergency Communications System (Hearing 1/12/22).”
Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/2022-01-14-a29399-d237554-bill-analysis-b6eb2164e0/
, SHA-256 c2000a66d1caea690663eb0aee2edfe00d512d7f48b58eef3d7ce2762fbf3662.Full text
Washington State BILL
House of Representatives
Office of Program Research ANALYSIS
Community & Economic Development
Committee
HB 1703
Brief Description: Modernizing the statewide 911 emergency communications system.
Sponsors: Representatives Orwall, Boehnke, Ryu, Paul, Dolan, Graham, Goodman, Griffey,
Leavitt, Harris-Talley and Frame; by request of Military Department.
Brief Summary of Bill
• Adds new definitions to the Emergency Management Act (EMA) and to
Enhanced 911 (E-911) excise tax provisions.
• Removes the term "enhanced" where it describes 911 systems and
related terms throughout the EMA and E-911 excise tax provisions.
• Authorizes counties to participate in multicounty-wide 911 emergency
communications with counties that are adjacent and allows counties to
request that a Washington State Patrol public safety answering point
(PSAP) be the primary PSAP for a specific geographic area.
• Modifies the duties of the state E-911 Coordination Office.
• Adds members to the E-911 Advisory Committee and modifies its
reporting requirements.
• Specifies certain allowable uses for the E-911 Account funds.
Hearing Date: 1/12/22
Staff: Emily Poole (786-7106).
Background:
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative
members in their deliberations. This analysis is not part of the legislation nor does it
constitute a statement of legislative intent.
House Bill Analysis -1- HB 1703
Emergency Management Act.
The state's Emergency Management Act establishes a comprehensive program of emergency
management in the state, which is administered by the Military Department (Department) under
the direction of the state's Adjutant General. As part of the emergency management program, the
Adjutant General, through the state Enhanced 911 (E-911) Coordinator, must coordinate and
facilitate implementation and operation of a statewide E-911 emergency communications
network. E-911 is a service that automatically displays the telephone number and physical
location of a 911 caller.
E-911 Coordination Office.
The E-911 Coordination Office (Coordination Office) is headed by the E-911 Coordinator and is
established in the Emergency Management Division of the Military Department. Duties of the
office include:
• coordinating and facilitating the implementation and operation of E-911 emergency
communications systems throughout the state;
• seeking advice and assistance from, and providing staff support for, the E-911 Advisory
Committee (Advisory Committee);
• recommending to the Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) the level of the state
E-911 excise tax for the following year;
• considering base needs of individual counties for specific assistance, specify rules defining
the purposes for which available state E-911 funding may be expended with the advice and
assistance of the Advisory Committee; and
• providing an annual update to the Advisory Committee on how much money each county
has spent on: efforts to modernize their existing E-911 emergency communications
system; and E-911 operational costs.
E-911 Advisory Committee.
The Advisory Committee advises and assists the E-911 Coordinator in coordinating and
facilitating the implementation and operation of E-911 throughout the state. The Advisory
Committee members represent diverse geographical areas of the state and include a variety of
public safety professionals, state and local government officials, and telecommunications
providers.
On an annual basis, the Advisory Committee must provide an update on the status of E-911
service in the state to the appropriate committees in the Legislature. The update must include
progress by counties towards creating greater efficiencies in E-911 operations including, but not
limited to, regionalization of facilities, centralization of equipment, and statewide purchasing.
E-911 Account.
All receipts from the state E-911 excise taxes must be deposited into the E-911 Account (911
Account). Moneys in the account must be used only to support the statewide coordination and
management of the E-911 system, for the implementation of wireless E911 statewide, for the
modernization of E-911 emergency communications systems statewide, and to help supplement,
within available funds, the operational costs of the system, including adequate funding of
counties to enable implementation of wireless E-911 service and reimbursement of radio
House Bill Analysis -2- HB 1703
communications service companies for costs incurred in providing wireless enhanced 911
service under negotiated contracts.
Liability for Civil Damages.
A telecommunications company, radio communications service company, or interconnected
voice over internet protocol service company, providing emergency communications systems or
services to E-911 emergency communications personnel is not liable for civil damages caused by
an act or omission of the company, business, or individual in the:
• good faith release of information not in the public record, including unpublished or
unlisted subscriber information to emergency service providers responding to calls placed
to E-911 emergency communications service; or
• design, development, installation, maintenance, or provision of consolidated E-911
emergency communications systems or services other than an act or omission constituting
gross negligence or wanton or willful misconduct.
E-911 Excise Taxes.
The state imposes an E-911 excise tax up to 25 cents per month per landline phone number
(“switched access line”), wireless phone number (“radio access line”), and Voice over Internet
Protocol (VoIP) service line within the state. For prepaid wireless services, the rate is 25 cents
per retail transaction. These revenues fund the state’s E-911 telephone system. In addition to the
state tax, any county may impose an E-911 excise tax up to 70 cents per month for each landline
phone number, wireless phone number, and VoIP service line. For prepaid wireless services, the
maximum rate is 70 cents per retail transaction. All E-911 excise tax revenues must be used only
for the county’s emergency services communication system.
Summary of Bill:
Emergency Management Act.
The following new terms are defined in the Emergency Management Act: Automatic location
identification, Automatic number identification, Baseline level of service, Emergency Services
Communication System, Emergency Communications System Data, E-911 emergency
communications system, Interconnected voice over internet protocol service provider, Next
generation 911, Next generation 911 demarcation point, Next generation 911 emergency
communications system, Next generation 911 emergency services internet protocol network,
Next generation 911 service, Public safety answering point, Primary public safety answering
point, Secondary public safety answering point, Radio communications service company,
Telecommunications provider, and Washington State patrol public safety answering points.
The term "enhanced" is removed throughout the Emergency Management Act where it describes
911 emergency systems and related terms.
Intent language related to statewide E-911 is modified to state that it is in the public interest to
ensure adequate funding for necessary 911 system upgrades as technology evolves to next
generation 911 technology and beyond for 911 emergency communications baseline service
House Bill Analysis -3- HB 1703
statewide that supports emerging communications devices.
A county may participate in multicounty-wide 911 emergency communications with counties
that are adjacent. A county may request a Washington State Patrol PSAP to become a primary
PSAP and receive 911 calls from a specific geographical area and may cancel that designation at
any time.
E-911 Coordination Office.
The E-911 Coordination Office is renamed the State 911 Coordination Office (Coordination
Office). The duty of the Coordination Office to coordinate and facilitate the implementation and
operation of E-911 emergency communications systems and other duties related to E-911 are
eliminated.
The Coordination Office has the following additional duties:
• administering the 911 Account;
• providing and supporting 911 emergency communications systems which may include
procurement, funding, ownership, and management;
• assisting the counties and Washington State Patrol PSAPs by distributing state 911
emergency communications system funding;
• establishing rules that:
• determine eligible components of the 911 emergency communications system, its
administration, and operation that the state and county 911 excise taxes may be used
to fund;
• determine how appropriated funds from the state 911 emergency communications
system account shall be distributed, considering the baseline level of 911 emergency
communications system service needs of individual counties and county-designated
Washington state patrol primary public safety answering points for specific
assistance; and
• specify statewide 911 emergency communications system and service standards,
consistent with applicable state and federal law; and
• annually providing a complete report to the Advisory Committee on efforts to modernize
the statewide 911 emergency communications system and all PSAPs expenditures for
administrative and operational costs.
E-911 Advisory Committee.
The E-911 Advisory Committee is renamed the 911 Advisory Committee (Advisory
Committee). The Advisory Committee's membership is modified to include county 911
representatives from diverse urban and rural geographical counties, the Department of Health,
and others identified and appointed by the Adjutant General.
The Advisory Committee's annual update to the Legislature is modified to include information
on progress made by the Coordination Office and the counties toward continual growth and
maintenance of a 911 system with greater efficiencies, strategic plan performance, and the fiscal
House Bill Analysis -4- HB 1703
health of the 911 system.
To assist with modernization of the 911 emergency communications system:
• All counties operating PSAPs in the state, with the exception of tribal nations, must assist
the Advisory Committee to update the Legislature annually by providing annual PSAP
expenditure reports and additional information as necessary requested by the Coordination
Office.
• PSAPs providing service in multiple counties must report to the county where they are
physically located. PSAPs providing services outside of Washington borders must limit
reporting to those areas within the boundaries of Washington. Counties receiving services
from a PSAP outside of Washington must report the cost of services to their county.
E-911 Account.
The following are specified as allowable uses for moneys from the 911 account: supporting
statutory priorities for 911 funding, 911 emergency communications system procurement,
operation, management, administrative costs, modernization, training, public education,
hardware, software, technology, and support for public safety answering points.
Liability for Civil Damages.
The civil liability protection for telecommunications companies, radio communications service
companies, and interconnected voice over internet protocol service companies, providing
emergency communications systems or services to 911 emergency communications personnel, is
extended to cities, counties, and the state.
Enhanced 911 Excise Taxes.
Definitions for "911 emergency communications system" and "next generation 911 emergency
communications system" are added to provisions relating to enhanced 911 excise taxes. The
term "enhanced" is removed throughout the enhanced 911 excise tax provisions where it
describes 911 emergency systems and related terms.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Requested on January 5, 2022.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is
passed.
House Bill Analysis -5- HB 1703
File and source
- File
- 2022-01-14_a29399_d237554_bill-analysis.pdf
- Size
- 13,548 bytes
- SHA-256
- c2000a66d1caea690663eb0aee2edfe00d512d7f48b58eef3d7ce2762fbf3662
- Original
- No public link identified.