AB961: Bill Text

LRB-4951/1

JAM:emw

2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE

2023 Assembly BILL 961

January 16, 2024 - Introduced by Representatives J. Anderson, Kurtz, Baldeh, Conley, Considine, Hong, Melotik, Moore Omokunde, Mursau, Palmeri, Spiros, Subeck, Behnke and Sinicki, cosponsored by Senators Testin, Carpenter, James, L. Johnson, Larson, Taylor and Cowles. Referred to Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety.

AB961,1,4 An Act to amend 256.35 (3s) (d) 6.; and to create 20.465 (3) (cm), 256.35 (3s) (d) 4s. and 256.35 (3v) of the statutes; relating to: grants for 911-caller-provided health, access, and functional needs information structures and making an appropriation.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, the Department of Military Affairs must award grants to public safety answering points, more commonly known as 911 call centers, for a variety of purposes related to advanced 911 operations. In addition, under a separate grant program, DMA must award grants to county land information offices for the purpose of preparing geographic information systems data to help enable advanced 911 operations.

This bill creates an additional grant program under which DMA must award grants to public safety answering points and counties for the development and maintenance of, and technical assistance for implementing, the county's or public safety answering point's capabilities for storing and accessing 911-caller-provided health, access, and functional needs information. At least 50 percent of the grants made by DMA under the program must be made to rural counties or public safety answering points located in rural counties. A grant awarded under the program must be for 80 percent of the total anticipated 911-caller-provided health, access, and functional needs information project cost, and the grant recipient shall secure the remaining 20 percent of funding. Public safety answering points and counties that receive a grant under the program must make annual reports to DMA about their developed capabilities and must keep their capabilities secure and confidential.

Under the bill, DMA must create educational materials for the general public regarding capabilities for storing and accessing 911-caller-provided health, access, and functional needs information.

For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

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

AB961,1 Section 1 . 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert the following amounts for the purposes indicated: - See PDF for table

AB961,2 Section 2 . 20.465 (3) (cm) of the statutes is created to read:

AB961,2,6 20.465 (3) (cm) 911 system caller information capabilities. Biennially, the amounts in the schedule for the 911 system caller information capabilities grants under s. 256.35 (3v).

AB961,3 Section 3. 256.35 (3s) (d) 4s. of the statutes is created to read:

AB961,2,10 256.35 (3s) (d) 4s. Advise the department on awarding grants under sub. (3v) (b) 1., including advising on appropriate grant purposes and eligibility criteria for the grants.

AB961,4 Section 4. 256.35 (3s) (d) 6. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB961,3,3 256.35 (3s) (d) 6. Develop recommendations for service standards for public safety answering points, including standards related to capabilities for storing and accessing 911-caller-provided health, access, and functional needs information.

AB961,5 Section 5. 256.35 (3v) of the statutes is created to read:

AB961,3,8 256.35 (3v) 911 system caller information capabilities. (a) In this subsection, “911 caller” means an individual that lives in a particular county or public safety answering point service area in this state regardless of whether the individual has previously called 911 or accessed an emergency service.

AB961,3,9 (b) The department shall do all of the following:

AB961,3,18 1. Award grants to counties and public safety answering points for the development and maintenance of, and technical assistance for implementing, the county's or public safety answering point's capabilities for storing and accessing 911-caller-provided health, access, and functional needs information. At least 50 percent of the grants provided under this subdivision shall be made to rural counties or public safety answering points located in rural counties. A grant awarded under this subdivision shall be for 80 percent of the total anticipated 911-caller-provided health, access, and functional needs information project cost, and the grant recipient shall secure the remaining 20 percent of funding.

AB961,3,21 2. Create educational materials for the general public regarding capabilities for storing and accessing 911-caller-provided health, access, and functional needs information.

AB961,3,23 (c) A county or public safety answering point that receives a grant under par. (b) 1. shall do all of the following:

AB961,4,5 1. Provide annual reports to the department detailing the number of residents who have opted to use the county's or public safety answering point's capability for storing and accessing 911-caller-provided health, access, and functional needs information. The reports under this subdivision shall describe the impact of the new capabilities on the work of 911 operators and first responders and shall include the county's or public safety answering point's description of any benefits and drawbacks of the new capabilities.

AB961,4,9 2. Ensure that any of the county's or public safety answering point's developed capabilities for storing and accessing 911-caller-provided health, access, and functional needs information is kept secure and confidential so that the data is available to only 911 operators and first responders.

AB961,4,10 (End)