2013 -- S 0716

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LC01934

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

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A N A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS - 911 EMERGENCY TELEPHONE

NUMBER ACT

     Introduced By: Senators DiPalma, Pichardo, Pearson, Bates, and Cool Rumsey

     Date Introduced: March 13, 2013

     Referred To: Senate Commerce

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 39-21.1-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 39-21.1 entitled "911

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Emergency Telephone Number Act" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     39-21.1-5. Establishment of 9-1-1 service. -- (a) The state shall establish a single central

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statewide emergency 911 system equipped with selective call routing, automatic number

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identification, and automatic location identification. All telecommunication service providers

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who operate within this state shall provide access to the E 9-1-1 Uniform Emergency Telephone

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System with selective call routing, automatic number identification and automatic location

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identification capabilities in accordance with this chapter, with the rules and regulations of the

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Federal Communications Commission and of the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission and

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with such other rules and regulations promulgated by the 9-1-1 authority. Before the Public

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Utilities Commission shall grant any license, permit, power, or authority to operate or shall

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approve any tariff, rate, or similar compensation measure to any telephone common carrier or

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telecommunication services provider pursuant to title 39 of the general laws, it shall obtain a

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certificate of compliance from the 911 authority, certifying that the telephone common carrier or

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telecommunication services provider that is seeking such grant or approval is in compliance with

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the standards of quality of service, performance of service and technological compliance adopted

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by the 911 authority pursuant to chapter 21 of title 39 of the general laws. No such license,

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permit, power, or authority to operate shall be granted or any tariff, rate, or similar compensation

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measure be approved until and unless the telephone common carrier or telecommunication

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service provider is in full compliance with such standards.

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      (b) The digits "911" shall be the primary emergency telephone number within the state.

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      (c) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prohibit or discourage the municipalities

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to maintain separate secondary backup telephone numbers for emergency and nonemergency

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telephone calls. Dissemination of the information contained in the data base for any other than

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emergency purpose is prohibited. The 911 emergency telephone number is not intended as a total

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replacement for the telephone service of the public safety agencies. The public safety answering

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point will not use the 911 system for administrative purposes, for placing outgoing calls, or for

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receiving nonemergency calls.

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      (d) Any addition to the basic 911 system that may be required by any municipality may

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be made at the municipality's expense, provided that the addition is approved by the 911

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authority.

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      (e) (1) The 911 authority and the telephone common carrier contracting with the

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authority shall not be liable for any inadequate data base information submitted to the 911

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authority by the municipality, its agents or servants.

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      (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of chapter 31 of title 9, the telephone common

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carrier, its agents and employees, is hereby indemnified and held harmless by the 911 authority

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and the state for civil damages for any action or omission in connection with the 911 or E-911

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systems unless the action or omission constitutes gross negligence or wanton and willful

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misconduct.

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      (f) Any expense incurred by a municipality shall not be deemed a state mandate pursuant

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to section 45-13-9.

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      (g) The telephone common carrier shall not issue or permit the usage of any three (3)

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digit telephone number for emergency purposes other than the digits "911" as provided in this

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chapter.

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      (h) The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, the E 9-1-1 Uniform

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Emergency Telephone System Authority, local public service answering points, E 9-1-1 service

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providers, including telephone common carriers and telecommunication services providers and

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their respective employees, directors, officers, representatives or agents shall not be liable to any

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person for civil damages resulting from or caused by any act or omission in the development,

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design, installation, operation, maintenance, performance or provision of E 9-1-1 service, except

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to the extent due directly to its willful misconduct or gross negligence. Also, no provider of E 9-

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1-1 service, including a telecommunication services provider shall be liable to any person who

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uses E 9-1-1 service, for the release of subscriber information, including but not limited to, billing

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information required under this act, to any public safety answering point or to the state of Rhode

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Island or the E 9-1-1 Uniform Emergency Telephone System Authority.

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     (i) Not later than January 1, 2014, the 911 authority shall initiate a pilot program

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providing direct dispatch services to participating municipalities. Such participation shall be at

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the request of the city or town.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC01934

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS - 911 EMERGENCY TELEPHONE

NUMBER ACT

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     This act would require the 911 authority to initiate a combined fire and police direct

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dispatch pilot program by January 1, 2014.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC01934

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