CHAPTER 32

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GOVERNMENT - LOCAL

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HOUSE BILL 01-1084 [Digest]

BY REPRESENTATIVE(S) Boyd, Borodkin, Coleman, Daniel, Groff, Grossman, Jahn, Lawrence, Mace, Madden, Marshall, Miller, Paschall, Plant, Ragsdale, Romanoff, Sanchez, Spradley, Tapia, Tochtrop, Veiga, Vigil, Webster, Williams S., and Young;

also SENATOR(S) Fitz-Gerald.

AN ACT

Concerning disclosure requirements for multi-line telephone system operators relating to 9-1-1 emergency service calls.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:

  SECTION 1.  29-11-100.5, Colorado Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

  29-11-100.5.  Legislative declaration - provision of emergency service to wireless and multi-line telephone service users. (1)  The general assembly hereby finds and declares that dialing 9-1-1 is the most effective and familiar way the public has of seeking emergency assistance. The amendments to this article made in Senate Bill 97-132, enacted at the first regular session of the sixty-first general assembly, are intended to provide a funding mechanism for 9-1-1 and enhanced 9-1-1 service for wireless service users. Enhanced 9-1-1 permits rapid response in situations where callers are unable to relay their phone number or location. Public safety answering points will need to make extensive changes in, and additions to, existing equipment to provide enhanced 9-1-1 service to wireless service users. To do so, public safety answering points must have the resources to purchase and update equipment, software, and training. A mechanism for recovery of costs reasonably incurred by wireless carriers, service suppliers, and basic emergency service providers in the acquisition and transmission of 9-1-1 information to public safety answering points is necessary to ensure that wireless service users receive the same level of 9-1-1 service as wireline service users.

  (2)  The general assembly further finds and declares that public safety agencies increasingly rely on enhanced 9-1-1 to provide dependable and precise information about the 9-1-1 caller's location and an accurate telephone number to reach the caller. Many multi-line telephone systems do not provide precise information about the 9-1-1 caller's location or telephone number. Inadequate location information can be life threatening if the caller is unable to verbalize the correct location. Not knowing an accurate location for a caller can result in a delay in service. In addition, many end-use customers of multi-line telephone systems do not know how to dial a 9-1-1 call from such telephones. Disclosure about 9-1-1 dialing and about the location identification capability of multi-line telephone systems are necessary first steps to ensure that multi-line telephone system service users can obtain emergency assistance by dialing 9-1-1.

  (3)  Nothing in this article should be construed to alter the method of regulation or deregulation of providers of telecommunications service as set forth in article 15 of title 40, C.R.S.

  SECTION 2.  29-11-101 (1), Colorado Revised Statutes, is amended, and the said 29-11-101 is further amended BY THE ADDITION OF THE FOLLOWING NEW SUBSECTIONS, to read:

  29-11-101.  Definitions.  As used in this article, unless the context otherwise requires:

  (1)  "Basic emergency service provider" ("BESP") means any person authorized by the commission to undertake the aggregation and transportation of 9-1-1 calls to a PSAP. "Automatic location identification" ("ALI") means the automatic display, on equipment at the PSAP, of the location of the caller's telephone number, the address for the telephone, including nonlisted and nonpublished numbers and addresses, and other information about the caller's precise location.

  (1.1)  "Automatic number identification" ("ANI") means the automatic display, on equipment at the PSAP, of the caller's telephone number.

  (1.2)  "Basic emergency service provider" ("BESP")  means any person authorized by the commission to undertake the aggregation and transportation of 9-1-1 calls to a PSAP.

  (4.5)  "MLTS operator" means the person that operates an MLTS from which an end-user may place a 9-1-1 call through the public switched network.

  (4.6)  "Multi-line telephone system" ("MLTS") means a system comprised of common control units, telephones, and control hardware and software providing local telephone service to multiple end-use customers in businesses, apartments, townhouses, condominiums, schools, dormitories, hotels, motels, resorts, extended care facilities, or similar entities, facilities, or structures. "Multi-line telephone system" includes:

  (a)  Network and premises-based systems such as centrex, pbx, and hybrid-key telephone systems; and

  (b)  Systems owned or leased by governmental agencies, nonprofit entities, and for-profit businesses.

  SECTION 3.  Article 11 of title 29, Colorado Revised Statutes, is amended BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SECTION to read:

  29-11-106.  Disclosure of 9-1-1 dialing and calling capabilities. (1)  When the method of dialing a local call from an MLTS telephone requires the dialing of an additional digit to access the public switched network, MLTS operators shall provide written information to their end-users describing the proper method of dialing 9-1-1 from an MLTS telephone in an emergency. MLTS operators that do not give the ANI, the ALI, or both shall disclose such fact in writing to their end-users and instruct them to provide their telephone number and exact location when calling 9-1-1.

  (2) (a)  For purposes of this section,"end-user" means the person making telephone calls, including 9-1-1 calls, from the MLTS providing telephone service to the person's place of employment or to the person's permanent or temporary residence.

  (b)  For purposes of this section, "MLTS operator" means the person who has responsibility to the end-user to coordinate telephone line number and address location assignments.

  (3)  The public utilities commission may promulgate rules to implement this section in accordance with article 4 of title 24, C.R.S.

  (4)  Nothing in this section shall be construed to alter the method of regulation or deregulation of providers of telecommunications service by the public utilities commission as set forth in article 15 of title 40, C.R.S.

  SECTION 4.  Effective date.  This act shall take effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly that is allowed for submitting a referendum petition pursuant to article V, section 1 (3) of the state constitution; except that, if a referendum petition is filed against this act or an item, section, or part of this act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part, if approved by the people, shall take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by proclamation of the governor.

Approved: March 19, 2001

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Capital letters indicate new material added to existing statutes; dashes through words indicate deletions from existing statutes and such material not part of act.

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