MULTILINE TELEPHONE SYSTEMS; 9-1-1                                               H.B. 4249 (H-4):

                                                                                                    SUMMARY OF BILL

                                                                                     REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE

House Bill 4249 (Substitute H-4 as reported without amendment)

Sponsor:  Representative Michele Hoitenga

House Committee:  Communications and Technology

                             Ways and Means

Senate Committee:  Energy and Technology

CONTENT

The bill would amend the Emergency 9-1-1 Services Enabling Act to do the following:

-- Require a multiline telephone system (MLTS) operator to ensure that an MLTS could route 9-1-1 calls to the 9-1-1 network, and that the calls were answered by a primary public safety answering point (PSAP) in a manner specified under the bill.

-- For a single building, require an MLTS operator to identify the location of each communications device and additional information, as applicable.

-- For separate buildings, require an MLTS operator to identify the location of each communication device and other information, depending on the size of the workspace and other parameters.

-- Prescribe the information that an MLTS operator must identify for each communications device at houses of worship, depending on the number of buildings and the number of devices.

-- Prescribe the information that an MLTS operator must identify for each communications device at a farm that met certain parameters.

-- Specify that an MLTS operator would be exempt from specific location identification requirements if a building maintained, on a 24-hour basis, an alternative method of notification and adequate means of responding to emergencies.

-- Require an MLTS operator in violation of the Act after December 31, 2020, to provide the Michigan Public Service Commission and the Emergency 9-1-1 Service Committee with information on the failure to meet the deadline and a plan to remedy the failure, and authorize the Commission to assess a fine for a violation.

The bill would repeal Section 405 of the Act. In addition, the bill would rescind Rule 484.901 to Rule 484.906 of the Michigan Administrative Code.

MCL 484.1413                                                         Legislative Analyst:  Tyler VanHuyse

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill could have a minor positive fiscal impact on State government and a minor negative fiscal impact on some local governments. The Michigan Public Service Commission could charge an operator a fine of between $500 and $5,000 per offense if the operator had more than fifty employees, or a fine of up to $500 if it had fifty or fewer employees. Fine revenue would be deposited into the General Fund. Local units would be affected to the extent that they were required to pay to upgrade phone systems to comply with the bill's requirements.

The magnitude of the impact would depend on the number of buildings affected and the amount of equipment upgraded.

Date Completed:  6-6-19                                         Fiscal Analyst:  Elizabeth Raczkowski

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.