AB97: Bill Text

LRB-0919/2

MDK&CMH:kjf:ph

2013 - 2014 LEGISLATURE

2013 Assembly BILL 97

March 26, 2013 - Introduced by Joint Legislative Council. Referred to Committee on Energy and Utilities.

AB97,1,2 An Act to create 15.107 (19), 16.9645 (2) (g) and 16.9647 of the statutes; relating to: the creation of a state 911 council.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill is explained in the Notes provided by the Joint Legislative Council in the bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

Joint Legislative Council prefatory note: This bill was prepared for the Joint Legislative Council's Special Committee on 911 Communications.

This bill creates a council to advise and direct the office of justice assistance (OJA) and the public service commission (PSC) on the administration of 911 telecommunications services and grant programs available to promote those services. The council works with and is supported by the OJA, and is attached for administrative purposes to the department of administration.

The bill outlines the membership of the council, which includes entities involved in various aspects of 911 telecommunications and emergency response issues. There are 15 members, appointed by the governor for staggered 3-year terms. The chairperson, vice chairperson, and secretary of the council are elected by the council at the first meeting of each year.

The duties of the council include advising the OJA and the PSC on the administration of 911 telecommunications services and associated grant and fee programs, conducting a statewide 911 telecommunications system assessment, developing recommendations for service standards for public safety answering points, establishing criteria for eligibility for state 911 grants, advising the OJA as to 911 telecommunications service standards, promoting interoperability and consolidation of public safety answering points statewide as appropriate, exploring additional funding sources for 911 communications, directing the PSC as to the amount of the fee required under 2013 Assembly Bill .... (LRB-0921/1) that is necessary to provide full cost recovery for statewide 911 telecommunications service under 2013 Assembly Bill .... (LRB-0923/1) and grants by OJA to public safety answering points under 2013 Assembly Bill .... (LRB-0922/1), and ensuring that the performance of these duties are done in such a manner so as not to favor one particular technology over another.

The bill also authorizes the creation of, and funding for, a 911 telecommunications service coordinator within OJA.

AB97,1 Section 1. 15.107 (19) of the statutes is created to read:

AB97,2,6 15.107 (19) State 911 council. There is created a state 911 council, attached to the department of administration under s. 15.03. When making appointments to the council, the governor shall consider the geographical diversity of, and the representation of urban and rural interests by, the membership of the council. The council consists of the following members serving for staggered 3-year terms:

AB97,2,8 (a) An individual recommended by an association of Wisconsin cities, villages, or towns.

AB97,2,9 (b) An individual recommended by an association of Wisconsin counties.

AB97,2,12 (c) An individual recommended by a Wisconsin association, or a Wisconsin chapter of an association, that promotes a universal emergency telephone number system.

AB97,2,13 (d) An individual recommended by an association of Wisconsin county sheriffs.

AB97,2,16 (e) Two individuals, each of whom represents a different commercial mobile radio service provider, as defined in s. 196.01 (2g), operating in Wisconsin, one serving a primarily regional market and one serving a national market.

AB97,2,18 (f) An individual recommended by a Wisconsin association, or a Wisconsin chapter of an association, of public safety communications professionals.

AB97,3,3 (g) Two individuals recommended by an association of Wisconsin telecommunications providers, as defined in s. 196.01 (8p), at least one of whom represents a local exchange carrier with fewer than 50,000 access lines.

AB97,3,4 (h) An individual who represents a voice over Internet protocol provider.

AB97,3,5 (i) A police chief recommended by an association of Wisconsin police chiefs.

AB97,3,6 (j) A fire chief recommended by an association of Wisconsin fire chiefs.

AB97,3,8 (k) An individual recommended by a Wisconsin association that promotes emergency management.

AB97,3,9 (L) An individual who is a video service provider, as defined in s. 196.01 (12r).

AB97,3,11 (m) An individual recommended by a Wisconsin association of emergency medical service providers.

AB97,2 Section 2. 16.9645 (2) (g) of the statutes is created to read:

AB97,3,13 16.9645 (2) (g) Coordinate with the state 911 council.

AB97,3 Section 3. 16.9647 of the statutes is created to read:

AB97,3,15 16.9647 State 911 council. (1) In this section:

AB97,3,16 (a) "Council" means the state 911 council.

AB97,3,17 (b) "Office" means the office of justice assistance.

AB97,3,18 (c) "Public safety answering point" has the meaning given in s. 256.35 (1) (gm).

AB97,3,19 (2) The council shall do all of the following:

AB97,3,21 (a) Advise the office and the public service commission on the administration of 911 telecommunications services and associated grant programs.

AB97,3,22 (b) Conduct a statewide 911 telecommunications system assessment.

AB97,3,23 (c) Develop a statewide plan for 911 telecommunications services.

AB97,3,25 (d) Develop recommendations for service standards for public safety answering points.

AB97,4,3 (e) Establish criteria for eligibility for state 911 grants and advise the office as to the standards the office develops under s. 16.964 (19). The criteria for eligibility shall include basic training standards and service standards.

AB97,4,6 (f) Promote, facilitate, and coordinate interoperability across all state public safety answering points with respect to telecommunications services and data systems, including geographic information systems.

AB97,4,9 (g) Promote, facilitate, and coordinate consolidation of public safety answering point functions where consolidation would provide improved service, increased efficiency, or cost savings.

AB97,4,12 (h) Seek funding from sources, including federal sources, for 911 telecommunications system enhancements, studies, and other purposes consistent with the duties of the council.

AB97,4,16 (i) Direct the public service commission under s. 256.35 (3) (cm) as to the amount of the fee required under s. 256.35 (3) (bm) which is necessary to provide full-cost recovery for statewide 911 telecommunications service under s. 256.35 (3f) and for grants under s. 16.964 (19) (b).

AB97,4,18 (j) Undertake all of its duties in a manner that is competitively and technologically neutral to all service providers.

AB97,4,19 (k) Coordinate with the interoperability council under s. 15.107 (18).

AB97,4,21 (L) Assist the office in identifying and obtaining funding to implement a statewide 911 telecommunication system.