ARIZONA STATE SENATE RESEARCH STAFF
MEMO

Melissa Hornberg, Legislative Intern

Brian Townsend, Legislative Research Analyst

Senate Commerce and Economic

Development Committee

542-3171

TO: MEMBERS OF THE SENATE COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

DATE: March 24, 1998

Re: Strike-Everything Amendment to H.B. 2653

Purpose

Prohibits denying or restricting access to a 911 telephone number except for specific entities authorized by the Corporation Commission.

Background

Currently, statute does not prohibit a 911 call from being forwarded, in establishments such as hotels or business complexes, to an in-house number before being directed to the emergency operator. A recent incident occurred at a local office complex in which a man received serious brain damage as a result of diabetic complications. 911 was called and the call was routed through the complex's security, who in turn went to investigate the situation before calling the proper medical personnel. This scenario is not uncommon according to the Professional Firefighters of Arizona.

This legislation requires that 911 be specifically reserved for accessing police, fire and emergency medical services and stipulates that access to 911 shall not be denied. However, the strike-everything amendment to H.B. 2653 does allow for certain exemptions authorized by the Corporation Commission. Some examples where it might not be prudent to give direct access to 911 include hospitals, prisons and mental facilities.

There is no discernable fiscal impact to the general fund.

STRIKE-EVERYTHING AMENDMENT H.B. 2653 Page

Provisions

1. Requires the Commission to administer and regulate three-digit telephone numbers in order to protect the emergency numbering system and stipulates that this does not apply to federally licensed wireless telephone communications.

2. Specifies that 911 is reserved exclusively as an emergency telephone number.

3. Prohibits a person, business, corporation or government entity from denying or restricting access to a 911 telephone number or system.

4. Authorizes the Commission to decide in individual cases whether a business or corporation is allowed to deny or restrict access to 911 if it would be overly burdensome or not in the best interest of emergency personnel.

5. Contains a general effective date.

House Action

HEA 2/18/98 DP 10-0-0-1-0

3rd Read 3/12/98 DP 57-0-3-0

MH/jas

Click here to return to the A.L.I.S. Home Page.