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2000 SESSION

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SB 148 Enhanced Public Safety Telephone Services (E-911).

Introduced by: Kenneth W. Stolle | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles | history

SUMMARY AS PASSED:

Enhanced Public Safety Telephone Services (E-911). Establishes the Wireless E-911 Services Board and the Public Safety Communications Division of the Department of Technology Planning, and continues the Wireless E-911 special fund. The Board shall be responsible for promoting and assisting the development, deployment and maintenance of a statewide enhanced emergency telecommunications system and enhanced wireline emergency telecommunication services in specific local jurisdictions not currently wireline E-911 capable. The Board shall also be responsible for overseeing and allocating the wireless E-911 special funds and managing moneys appropriated for enhanced wireline emergency telecommunication services in local jurisdictions not wireline E-911 capable as of July 1, 2000. Each mobile service provider shall collect a surcharge in the amount of 75 cents per month per customer, to be paid into the Wireless E-911 Fund. The Board shall use the moneys in the fund to pay the operators of the systems for their costs of operation pursuant to a budget proposal submitted to and reviewed by the Board. The Board shall have enforcement authority to ensure that funds are spent for their intended purposes and shall review each operator's actual expenditures at the end of each year. Local jurisdictions which have or will establish enhanced E-911 services are authorized to impose a special tax in an amount not to exceed $3.00 per month per customer to be accounted for in a separate special revenue fund or in a cost center and revenue accounting system acceptable to the Auditor of Public Accounts. Funds collected from the tax shall be used to pay for reasonable and direct capital costs and operating expenses incurred by the E-911 service facility. All local jurisdictions are required to be operating a wireline E-911 system by July 1, 2003. Certain documents submitted to the Wireless Carrier E-911 Cost Recovery Subcommittee created by the bill are exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act and the Subcommittee is granted an exemption to convene in a closed meeting when discussing or considering such documents.

SUMMARY AS PASSED SENATE:

Enhanced Public Safety Telephone Services (E-911). Establishes the Wireless E-911 Services Board and the Public Safety Communications Division of the Department of Technology Planning, and continues the Wireless E-911 special fund. The Board shall be responsible for promoting and assisting the development, deployment and maintenance of a statewide enhanced emergency telecommunications system and enhanced wireline emergency telecommunication services in specific local jurisdictions not currently wireline E-911 capable. The Board shall also be responsible for overseeing and allocating the wireless E-911 special funds and managing moneys appropriated for enhanced wireline emergency telecommunication services in local jurisdictions not wireline E-911 capable as of July 1, 2000. Each mobile service provider shall collect a surcharge in the amount of 75 cents per month per customer, to be paid into the Wireless E-911 Fund. The Board shall use the moneys in the fund to pay the operators of the systems for their costs of operation pursuant to a budget proposal submitted to and reviewed by the Board. The Board shall have enforcement authority to ensure that funds are spent for their intended purposes and shall review each operator's actual expenditures at the end of each year. Local jurisdictions which have or will establish enhanced E-911 services are authorized to impose a special tax in an amount not to exceed $3.00 per month per customer to be accounted for in a separate special revenue fund or in a cost center and revenue accounting system acceptable to the Auditor of Public Accounts. Funds collected from the tax shall be used to pay for reasonable and direct capital costs and operating expenses incurred by the E-911 service facility. All local jurisdictions are required to be operating a wireline E-911 system by July 1, 2003. Certain documents submitted to the Wireless Carrier E-911 Cost Recovery Subcommittee created by the bill are exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act and the Subcommittee is granted an exemption to convene in a closed meeting when discussing or considering such documents.

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Virginia Enhanced Emergency Telecommunications Act. Establishes the Virginia Emergency Telecommunications Systems Board, the Emergency Telecommunications Division of the Department of Technology Planning, and the Wireline E-911 and Wireless E-911 special funds. The Board shall be responsible for formulating, directing, and promulgating polices, standards, specifications and guidelines for developing and maintaining a statewide enhanced emergency telecommunications system, overseeing the employees of the Emergency Telecommunications Division, and overseeing and allocating the E-911 special funds. Each local exchange carrier and mobile service provider shall collect a surcharge in the amount of 75 cents per month per customer, to be paid into either the Wireline E-911 Fund or the Wireless E-911 Fund. The Board shall use the moneys in the funds to pay the operators of 911 systems for their costs of operation pursuant to budget proposals submitted to and reviewed by the Board. The Board shall have enforcement authority to ensure that funds are spent for their intended purposes, and the Board shall review each operator’s actual expenditures at the end of each year to determine whether the operator’s allocation was appropriate and to make any necessary adjustments for the following year. All local jurisdictions must be operating an E-911 system by January 1, 2002, and the current local tax for enhanced emergency telephone service shall expire July 1, 2001. After that date, no county or municipality may impose a tax for enhanced emergency telephone service. Certain documents submitted to the Wireless Carrier E-911 Cost Recovery Subcommittee created by the act are exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act. The bill also grants to this Subcommittee an exemption to convene in a closed meeting when discussing or considering certain document submitted to the Subcommittee.