Washington — Advancing in the House: a bipartisan bill that would mandate a compliance report on an existing law that requires new multiline phone systems to allow direct calls to 911.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Communications and Technology Subcommittee approved the Kari’s Law Reporting Act (H.R. 5201) without amendment during a Jan. 15 markup, advancing it to the full committee.
Introduced Sept. 8 by Reps. Doris Matsui (D-CA) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), the legislation would require the Federal Communications Commission to publish a report on the implementation of Kari’s Law, which went into effect in February 2020.
The law applies to new phone lines that FCC says are “typically found in enterprises such as office buildings, campuses and hotels.” It’s named for Kari Hunt, who was murdered in 2013 by her estranged husband while staying in a motel room. Repeated attempts by Hunt’s 9-year-old daughter to call 911 were unsuccessful, the agency says, as the girl was unaware that the phone system required dialing “9” first to make an outbound call.
Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ), ranking member of the committee, said it’s “evident that providers have yet to fully comply” even though the law has been in effect for nearly six years.
Under the bill, FCC’s report would include:
- A summary of the extent to which multiline telephone system manufacturers and vendors have complied with the law
- Potential difficulties in – and obstacles to – compliance
- Potential ways, if necessary, to improve FCC enforcement policies
- Recommendations to Congress, if necessary, on further legislation to help prevent problems such as those addressed in the law
During the markup, Matsui, the subcommittee’s ranking member, said the bill will help “strengthen public safety communications.”
She added: “People deserve absolute confidence that a call to 911 will go through.”
Jack Varnado, president of the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials, offered support for the bill while testifying during a Dec. 16 subcommittee hearing.
“In an emergency, seconds matter, and no one should lose precious time navigating an unnecessary additional step when trying to reach lifesaving assistance,” Varnado testified.
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Original article published by Safety+Health an NSC publication