AB98: Bill Text

LRB-0920/1

MDK&CMH:cjs:jm

2013 - 2014 LEGISLATURE

2013 Assembly BILL 98

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

AB98,1,2 An Act to create 256.35 (1) (cg), (ee), (em), (es), (hg) and (hr) and 256.35 (13) of the statutes; relating to: calls to 911 made from multiline telephone systems.

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 requirement that an owner or operator of a multiline telephone system design and maintain the system to provide location and callback information to a public safety answering point when a call to "911" is made. This requirement applies to all systems put into service after a deadline which is the first day of the 7th month after the effective date of this bill. All systems put into service before that deadline must meet the requirement approximately 5 years after the effective date, with a number of exceptions listed below.

Shared residential multiline systems, whether newly put into service or existing, have until the first day of the 13th month after the effective date of this bill to provide location and callback information to a public safety answering point when a call to "911" is made.

Some systems are not subject to the requirements imposed under this bill. These include multiline systems serving an area that is less than 25,000 square feet and on one level, systems put in place for a limited period of time, key systems, and systems for which the owner or operator establishes an alternative method for providing location and callback number information that is approved by the chief officer of every public safety answering point serving the system.

This bill further imposes a requirement that every owner or operator of a multiline telephone system instruct each user of the system as to how to call for emergency assistance from a telephone in the system.

AB98,1 Section 1. 256.35 (1) (cg), (ee), (em), (es), (hg) and (hr) of the statutes are created to read:

AB98,2,4 256.35 (1) (cg) "Callback number" means a number used by a public safety answering point to recontact the location from which a call to "911" was placed.

AB98,2,8 (ee) "Emergency response location" means a location to which emergency response personnel may be dispatched that is specific enough that emergency response personnel are likely to quickly locate a caller who places a call to "911" from within that location.

AB98,2,11 (em) "Key system" means a multiline system that provides shared access by requiring a user to directly select outgoing lines or incoming calls through the use of buttons, keys, or other devices on the telephone.

AB98,2,15 (es) "Multiline system" means a system comprised of a common control unit or units, telephone sets, control hardware and software, and adjunct systems used to support telephonic services to multiple stations, including network-based and premises-based systems.

AB98,2,18 (hg) "Residential facility" includes single-family facilities, multi-family facilities, and facilities that provide temporary residence, including health care facilities, extended care facilities, dormitories, hotels, and motels.

AB98,2,20 (hr) "Shared residential multiline system" means a multiline system serving multiple residences in one or more residential facilities.

AB98,2 Section 2. 256.35 (13) of the statutes is created to read:

AB98,3,2 256.35 (13) Multiline system 911 requirements. (a) Duties. Except as provided in par. (b):

AB98,3,10 1. `In general.' Every owner or operator of a multiline system, except for a shared residential multiline system, shall design and maintain the system to provide to a public safety answering point a callback number and an emergency response location for any user of the multiline system that places a call to "911." For a multiline system put into service before the first day of the 7th month beginning after the effective date of this subdivision .... [LRB inserts date], the duty under this subdivision does not apply until the first day of the 61st month beginning after the effective date of this subdivision .... [LRB inserts date].

Note: Any multiline system put into service on or after the first day of the 7th month after the effective date must meet this requirement when put into service. Systems put into service before that date have approximately 5 years to meet this requirement.

AB98,3,16 2. `Shared residential multiline systems.' Beginning on the first day of the 13th month beginning after the effective date of this subdivision .... [LRB inserts date], every owner or operator of a shared residential multiline system shall ensure that a call to "911" from the system results in the transmission to a public safety answering point of an address and telephone number that is distinctive to the residential unit from which the call to "911" was placed.

AB98,3,17 (b) Exceptions. Paragraph (a) does not apply to any of the following:

AB98,3,19 1. A multiline system that serves only an area that is on a single level in a single building and that is less than 25,000 square feet.

AB98,3,21 2. A multiline system put into service at a location for a period of time not exceeding 90 days.

AB98,3,22 3. A multiline system that is a key system.

Note: The above exceptions apply to any multiline system described above, even a shared residential multiline system, and the exceptions apply regardless of when a system is put into service.

AB98,4,3 4. A multiline system that employs methods for identifying emergency response locations and callback numbers that is approved by the chief officer of each public safety answering point serving the multiline system.

AB98,4,6 (c) Dialing instructions. Every owner or operator of a multiline system shall instruct each user of the multiline system as to how to call for emergency assistance from the multiline system.

AB98,4,7 (End)