02/23/1993 01:35 PM Senate L&C

  SENATOR KELLY introduced  SB 97  (ENHANCED 911 SYSTEMS)  and                 
  invited  the  sponsor, SENATOR  DRUE  PEARCE, to  review her                 
  bill.   She clarified the committee was on teleconference to                 
  Anchorage and Soldotna.                                                      
                                                                               
  SENATOR PEARCE offered  a committee substitute as  a working                 
  draft, and said  the legislation would enable  the emergency                 
  dispatchers to better assist  people who call 911 when  they                 
  are  in  a threatening  situation.   She  explained victims,                 
  often the elderly and the very young, have difficulty giving                 
  clear  directions  after they  dial 911, and  if passed  the                 
  bill would create a  mechanism to help fund and  enhance the                 
                                                                               
                                                                               
  911 recording systems.                                                       
                                                                               
  SENATOR  PEARCE  said  the  bill  was  permissive,  and  the                 
  benefits  would  be  the  immediate  visual display  of  the                 
  location of the caller to  the dispatcher, automatic routing                 
  to   appropriate  emergency  response  unit,  for  a  faster                 
  response time.   Also, there would  be a curtailment of  the                 
  abuses of the system, except in certain cases.                               
                                                                               
  SENATOR  PEARCE  gave some  history  of the  legislation and                 
  explained that REPRESENTATIVE FRAN ULMER had been working on                 
  a similar bill,  which was of  great interest locally.   She                 
  thought there might also be some interest state-wide.                        
                                                                               
  SENATOR  KELLY  opened  the teleconference  to  Soldotna and                 
  introduced  TOM BOEDEKER, Attorney  for the  Kenai Peninsula                 
  Borough.                                                                     
                                                                               
  MR. BOEDEKER indicated  support for CSSB  97 from the  Kenai                 
  Peninsula  Borough  for  the  enhanced  911 system,  and  he                 
  discussed the cost factors.  He was pleased the bill was put                 
  under Title 29 rather than Title  42, as it would allow some                 
  flexibility in dealing with the issue.                                       
                                                                               
  SENATOR  KELLY  invited  LARRY  CRAWFORD,  Manager  for  the                 
  Municipality of Anchorage, to testify.                                       
                                                                               
  Number 098                                                                   
                                                                               
  MR. CRAWFORD said  the municipality supported the  bill, but                 
  was unclear as to the cost.                                                  
                                                                               
  SENATOR RIEGER asked MR. CRAWFORD  whether the boundaries of                 
  the  Anchorage   Telephone  Utility   match   up  with   the                 
  Municipality of Anchorage.  MR. CRAWFORD explained it nearly                 
  did, and  in talking  to ATU,  it was  indicated they  could                 
  collect fees from  the MatSu  - Eagle River  area, as  well.                 
  They discussed border lines and agreements.                                  
                                                                               
  JOHN  GEORGE, representing  the Alaska  State Fire  Fighters                 
  Association  and the  Alaska State Fire  Chiefs Association,                 
  testified in  favor of  the legislation  to enhance  the 911                 
  system.  He praised the bill as being a funding mechanism to                 
  support the system and make it work.                                         
                                                                               
  GORDON  PARKER,  Director  of  Carrier  Relations  for   the                 
  Anchorage Telephone Utility, indicated the utility's support                 
  for  the legislation, and  he gave some  history of previous                 
  support from other telephone companies in the state.                         
                                                                               
  Number 158                                                                   
                                                                               
  LARRY  FANNING,  the Fire  Chief  representing the  City and                 
  Borough  of Juneau,  in supporting  the  bill and  offered a                 
                                                                               
                                                                               
  recommendation to enhance the 911 system.  He suggested they                 
  send the  communications by  radio to the emergency response                 
  units  from  the  information received at  the public safety                 
  answering point.   He explained how the  extra communication                 
  would  work, and  SENATOR  KELLY asked  if  he had  proposed                 
  language.  MR. FANNING  directed the committee to page  7 of                 
  the work draft, and conceptualized an amendment, which would                 
  include essential communication equipment necessary for  the                 
  success of the emergency response.                                           
                                                                               
  SENATOR KELLY suggested some language on line 22, of page 7,                 
  and the amendment passed.  Without objections, so ordered.                   
                                                                               
  Number 180                                                                   
                                                                               
  SENATOR RIEGER directed attention to page  5, lines 8 and 9,                 
  and asked for  clarification on  the wording.   He moved  to                 
  amend the language on those lines to include "all of" before                 
  city and municipality.  Without objections, so ordered.                      
                                                                               
  SENATOR   RIEGER  moved  to   adopt  the   CS  FOR   SB.  97                 
  incorporating the  new amendments.   Without objections,  so                 
  ordered.                                                                     
                                                                               
  SENATOR RIEGER moved to pass CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 97(L&C)                  
  from committee  with individual  recommendations and  a zero                 
  fiscal note.  Without objections, so ordered.