Chairman
Linda W. Cropp, at the request of the Mayor A BILL IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Chairman Linda W. Cropp, at the request of
the Mayor, introduced the following bill, which was referred to the Committee on Consumer
and Regulatory Affairs and Committee on Finance and Revenue.
To provide for the orderly installation,
and operation and maintenance, of an emergency and nonemergency telephone system in the
District of Columbia to replace the present emergency calling system, which is inadequate
to meet the needs of the public health and safety.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this Act may be cited as the "District of Columbia
Emergency and Nonemergency Telephone Calling System Trust Fund Act of 1999".
Sec. 2. Findings and Purpose.
(1) The Council of the District of
Columbia recognizes the paramount importance of the safety and well being of the citizens
of the District of Columbia and further recognizes that when the lives or property of its
citizens are in imminent danger, timely and appropriate assistance must be rendered.
(2) Further the Council recognizes that
the emergency telephone system in the District of Columbia is burdened with nonemergency
telephone calls.
(3) It is the purpose of this bill to
provide for access to emergency and nonemergency number telephone systems and to provide
for the orderly installation, and operation and maintenance, of such systems within the
District of Columbia.
Sec. 3. Definitions. For purposes of this
Act, the term:
(a) 9-1-1 System.
(1) "9-1-1 System" means a
telephone service that automatically connects an individual dialing the digits 9-1-1 to a
public safety answering point.
(2) 9-1-1 System includes:
(A) Equipment for connecting and
out-switching a 9-1-1 telephone call within a telephone company central office;
(B) Trunking facilities from the central
office to a public safety answering point;
(C) Equipment to connect a 9-1-1 telephone
call to the appropriate agency.
(D) Facilities and staff needed to operate
a 9-1-1 call answering center
(3) 9-1-1 System will include a 3-1-1
system
(b) 3-1-1 System.
(1) "3-1-1 System" means a
nonemergency telephone system that is used to reduce 9-1-1 system congestion by diverting
nonemergency calls from the emergency telephone lines.
Sec. 4. Establishment of Emergency and
Nonemergency Number Telephone Systems.
(a) Establishment
There is established within the District
of Columbia an Emergency Number Telephone System (9-1-1). This system will include a
Nonemergency Number Telephone System (3-1-1).
(b) Included Emergency Services.
Service available through the Emergency
Number Telephone System shall include police, fire fighting, and emergency ambulance
services. Other emergency and civil defense services may be incorporated into the
Emergency Number Telephone System at the discretion of the Mayor.
(c) Included Nonemergency Services.
Service available through the Nonemergency
Number Telephone System shall include nonemergency police, fire fighting, and ambulance
services. The Nonemergency Number Telephone System shall be available for use as the
primary, nonemergency, contact telephone number by other District Government agencies at
the discretion of the Mayor.
(d) Funding.
The Emergency and Nonemergency Number
Telephone Systems will be funded through an Emergency/Nonemergency Number Telephone System
Trust Fund in accordance with section 5.
Sec. 5. The Emergency/Nonemergency Number
Telephone System Trust Fund.
(a) Establishment of The Trust Fund.
(1) There is a Special Fund ("Trust
Fund") created for the purpose of paying the costs for installing, maintaining, and
operating the Emergency and Nonemergency Number Telephone Systems.
(2) The Chief Financial Officer
("CFO") of the District of Columbia shall be responsible for approving and
directing the payment of monies from the Trust Fund in a manner consistent with the
purposes for which it was established, subject to an available appropriation by Congress..
(b) The Emergency/Nonemergency Number
Telephone System User Fee.
For the purpose of this subtitle, there is
an Emergency/Nonemergency Number Telephone System User Fee ("Fee") to be paid by
the subscribers to switched local exchange telephone access service, wireless telephone
service, or any other service that has access to the Emergency/Nonemergency Number
Telephone Systems services. The Mayor shall establish the amount of the Fee.
(c) Collection of the Fee.
A fee is to be paid by subscribers to any
local exchange company providing switched access local service or wireless service within
the District of Columbia. The local exchange companies shall add the Fee to all current
bills rendered for switched local exchange access service, wireless service or any other
telephone service that provides access to the Emergency/Nonemergency Number Telephone
System within the District of Columbia.
The Fee is payable at the time when the
bills for subscriber service are due. The local exchange companies providing the access to
the Emergency/Nonemergency Number Telephone Systems shall act as collection agents for the
Trust Fund with respect to the Fee, and shall remit all proceeds to the District of
Columbia Treasurer on a monthly basis.
The CFO shall deposit the funds in the
Emergency/Nonemergency Number Telephone System Trust Fund. The Mayor may adjust the Fee
when necessary to cover the costs of maintaining and operating the Emergency and
Nonemergency Number Telephone Systems. The local exchange companies providing access to
the systems shall be entitled to credit an amount not to exceed 1-1/2% of the Fee to cover
the expenses of billing, collecting, and remitting the Fee and any additional charges. The
Mayor may adjust the amount of the credit against proceeds of the Fee when necessary to
cover the expenses of billing, collecting, and remitting the Fee. The Fee shall continue
in effect until repealed or modified by a subsequent Act.
(d) Administration of Trust Fund.
The CFO shall administer the Trust Fund.
(e) Fee Is Not Applicable to Intermediate
Service Line.
Notwithstanding any other provision of
this subtitle, the Fee authorized under this section does not apply to an intermediate
service line used exclusively to connect wireless telephone service or other Emergency or
Nonemergency Number Telephone System accessible by other than a switched local access
service to another telephone system or switching device.
Sec. 6. The Council adopts the fiscal
impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal impact statement required by
section 602(c)(3) of the Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C.
Code § 1-233(c)(3)).
Sec. 7. This act shall take effect upon
its approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the Mayor, action by the Council to
override the veto), approval by the Financial Responsibility and Management Assistance
Authority as provided in section 203(a) of the District of Columbia Financial
Responsibility and Management Assistance Authority Act of 1995, approved April 17, 1995
(109 Stat. 116; D.C. Code §47-392.3(a)), and a 30-day period of Congressional review as
provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December
24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Code § 1-233(c)(1)), and publication in the District of
Columbia Register. |