Commission would plan, implement statewide 911 system

The Nebraska Public Service Commission would be responsible for planning a statewide 911 system under a bill heard by the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee Feb. 1.

LB938, introduced by Sen. Jim Smith of Papillion, would give the commission authority to plan, implement, coordinate, maintain and organize funding for a statewide system that would be capable of next-generation service. This means public safety answering points would have the ability to receive 911 calls via voice, text or video using Internet protocol.

The commission would present the plan to the Legislature on or before Dec. 1, 2017, and it would be implemented sometime after July 1, 2018. The plan would estimate the startup and ongoing costs of a statewide system and recommend the number of public safety answering points the state should maintain. The commission would ensure uniform statewide standards for technical support, training efficiency and quality assurance.

The bill also would create a fund that would be used to pay for the commission’s expenses in developing the plan, estimated to be $1.1 million in fiscal year 2016-2017 and an additional $1 million in FY2017-2018.

Smith said the cost of developing the plan would be paid for using the existing 911 surcharge and not the state’s general fund. He also said local governments still would be responsible for providing and dispatching emergency services.

“It is not the intent of this legislation to supplant local governments as the provider of public safety answering point services or as the provider of emergency dispatch services,” he said, “but instead to provide coordination, management and maintenance assistance along with state funding assistance for a statewide 911 service system.”

Larry Dix, executive director of the Nebraska Association of County Officials, said the plan that would be developed under the bill is needed to move forward with next-generation 911 service.

“I think it is something that is in the best interest of the citizens of the state of Nebraska,” he said.

Julie Righter Dove, communications coordinator for the Lincoln Emergency Communications Center, testified in support of the bill on behalf of several emergency services associations.

“It is imperative that the public service commission have the authority granted in this bill … for the implementation of next-gen[eration] 911 to be successful in the state of Nebraska,” she said.

No one testified in opposition to the bill and the committee took no immediate action on it.