BILL NUMBER: AB 423 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 13, 2009
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Torres
FEBRUARY 23, 2009
An act to amend Sections 53114.1, 53114.2,
53114.2, 53115.1, and 53115.2 of the Government Code, relating
to emergency telephone systems.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 423, as amended, Torres. Emergency telephone systems.
Existing law, the Warren-911-Emergency Assistance Act, requires
the Communications Division of the Department of General Services to
consult at regular intervals with specified entities and individuals
in order to accomplish the responsibilities specified by the act.
This bill would add the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and
Training to the specified entities and individuals that the
Communications Division is required to consult with at regular
intervals in order to accomplish the responsibilities specified by
the act.
Existing law , the Warren-911-Emergency Assistance Act,
requires the Communications Division of the Department of
General Services to review and update technical and operational
standards for public agency systems, after consultation with
specified entities and individuals.
The bill would require the review and update of technical and
operational standards for public agency systems to include standards
for recruitment and training of public safety dispatchers.
The bill would also require the review and update to be completed on
or before December 31, 2010, to include evaluations of issues related
to the receipt of calls in a language other than English by public
safety dispatchers at a Public Safety Answering Point, the need for
additional recruitment of multilingual public safety dispatchers, and
whether the Communications Division should require all public safety
dispatchers to complete the Public Safety Dispatcher Course offered
by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training.
Existing law also requires the State 911 Advisory Board to advise
the Communications Division on specified subjects, including training
standards for county coordinators and Public Safety
Answering Point public safety answering point
managers.
The bill would add a representative from the Commission on
Peace Officer Standards and Training to the State 911 Advisory Board.
The bill would also modify the requirement that the State 911
Advisory Board advise the Communications Division on training
standards for county coordinators and Public Safety
Answering Point public safety answering point
managers to also require the State 911 Advisory Board to advise the
Communications Division on training standards for public safety
dispatchers , and advise the department concerning issues
related to the receipt of calls in a language other than English
.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 53114.1 of the Government
Code is amended to read:
53114.1. To accomplish the responsibilities specified in this
article, the Communications Division is directed to consult at
regular intervals with the State Fire Marshal, the State Department
of Health Services, the Governor's Office of Traffic Safety, the
Office of Emergency Services, the California Council on Criminal
Justice, a local representative from a city, a local representative
from a county, the public utilities in this state providing telephone
service, the Associated Public Safety Communications Officers, the
Emergency Medical Services Authority, the Department of the
California Highway Patrol, the Commission on Peace Officer Standards
and Training, and the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
These entities and individuals shall provide all necessary assistance
and consultation to the Communications Division to enable it to
perform its duties specified in this article.
SEC. 2. SECTION 1. Section 53114.2
of the Government Code is amended to read:
53114.2. (a) Technical and
operational standards for the development of the public agency
systems shall be established and reviewed by the Communications
Division on or before December 31, 1973, after consultation with all
entities and individuals specified in Section 53114.1. On or before
December 31, 1976, and each even-numbered year thereafter, after
consultation with all entities and individuals specified in Section
53114.1, the Communications Division shall review and update
technical and operational standards for public agency systems,
including, but not limited to, standards for recruitment and training
of public safety dispatchers.
(b) The review and update required pursuant to subdivision (a)
that is to be completed on or before December 31, 2010, shall include
evaluations of issues related to the receipt of calls in a language
other than English by dispatchers at a Public Safety Answering Point
(PSAP), the need for additional recruitment of multilingual public
safety dispatchers, and whether the Communications Division should
require all public safety dispatchers to complete the Public Safety
Dispatcher Course offered by the Commission on Peace Officer
Standards and Training.
SEC. 2. Section 53115.1 of the
Government Code is amended to read:
53115.1. (a) There is in state government the State 911 Advisory
Board.
(b) The advisory board shall be comprised of the following members
appointed by the Governor who shall serve at the pleasure of the
Governor.
(1) The Chief of the California 911 Emergency Communications
Office shall serve as the nonvoting chair of the board.
(2) One representative from the Department of the California
Highway Patrol.
(3) Two representatives on the recommendation of the California
Police Chiefs Association.
(4) Two representatives on the recommendation of the California
State Sheriffs' Association.
(5) Two representatives on the recommendation of the California
Fire Chiefs Association.
(6) Two representatives on the recommendation of the CalNENA
Executive Board.
(7) One representative on the joint recommendation of the
executive boards of the state chapters of the Association of
Public-Safety Communications Officials-International, Inc.
(8) One representative from the Commission on Peace Officer
Standards and Training.
(c) Recommending authorities shall give great weight and
consideration to the knowledge, training, and expertise of the
appointee with respect to their experience within the California 911
system. Board members should have at least two years of experience as
a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP)
public safety answering point manager or county coordinator,
except where a specific person is designated as a member.
(d) Members of the advisory board shall serve at the pleasure of
the Governor, but may not serve more than two consecutive two-year
terms, except as follows:
(1) The presiding Chief of the California 911 Emergency
Communications Office shall serve for the duration of his or her
tenure.
(2) Four of the members shall serve an initial term of three
years.
(e) Advisory board members shall not receive compensation for
their service on the board, but may be reimbursed for travel and per
diem for time spent in attending meetings of the board.
(f) The advisory board shall meet quarterly in public sessions in
accordance with the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act (Article 9
(commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 2 of Part 1 of Division 3
of Title 2). The Telecommunications Division shall provide
administrative support to the State 911 Advisory Board. The State 911
Advisory Board, at its first meeting, shall adopt bylaws and
operating procedures consistent with this article and establish
committees as necessary.
(g) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any member of the
advisory board may designate a person to act as that member in his or
her place and stead for all purposes, as though the member were
personally present.
SEC. 3. Section 53115.2 of the Government Code is amended to read:
53115.2. (a) The State 911 Advisory Board shall advise the
Communications Division of the Department of General Services on all
of the following subjects:
(1) Policies, practices, and procedures for the California 911
Emergency Communications Office.
(2) Technical and operational standards for the California 911
system consistent with the National Emergency Number Association
(NENA) standards.
(3) Training standards for county coordinators, Public Safety
Answering Point (PSAP) managers, and public safety dispatchers.
(4) Budget, funding, and reimbursement decisions related to the
State Emergency Number Account.
(5) Proposed projects and studies conducted or funded by the State
Emergency Number Account.
(6) Expediting the rollout of Enhanced 911 Phase II technology.
(b) Upon request of a local public agency, the board shall conduct
a hearing on any conflict between a local public agency and the
Communications Division regarding a final plan that has not been
approved by the Communications Division pursuant to Section 53114.
The board shall meet within 30 days following the request, and shall
make a recommendation to resolve the conflict to the Communications
Division within 90 days following the initial hearing by the board
pursuant to the request.
(c) The advisory board shall advise the department concerning
issues related to the receipt of calls in a language other than
English by dispatchers at a public safety answering point, the need
for additional recruitment of multilingual public safety dispatchers,
and evaluation of the need to create standardized basic and advanced
training programs for all dispatchers assigned part time of full
time to a public safety access point.