GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2015

H                                                                                                                                                    3

HOUSE BILL 512

Senate Judiciary I Committee Substitute Adopted 7/2/15
Third Edition Engrossed 7/15/15

 

Short Title:        Amend/Clarify Back-Up PSAP Requirements.		(Public)
Sponsors:
Referred to:

April 2, 2015

 

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT to ALLOW TIME EXTENSIONS FOR implementation of Back‑up PSAP requirements, to define uniform standards for back‑up PSAPs, to develop a master purchasing list for 911 system eligible expenses, AND TO PROHIBIT THE DOUBLE TAXATION OF CITY RESIDENTS FOR 911 DISPATCH SERVICES.

Whereas, Session Law 2014‑66 amended Article 3 of Chapter 62A of the North Carolina General Statutes to require development of a back‑up PSAP when calls cannot be completed by the primary PSAP; and

Whereas, the changes in Session Law 2014‑66 are applicable to 911 fund distributions made on or after July 1, 2016; and

Whereas, many counties in North Carolina are unable to fully implement a back‑up PSAP by July 1, 2016; and

Whereas, counties would save cost and increase efficiency by partnering under a standard model for a back‑up PSAP developed by the 911 Board; and

Whereas, the assistance of the 911 Board in facilitating group procurement pricing for eligible 911 expense items would save money and eliminate price disparities between larger and smaller jurisdictions; Now, therefore,

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 62A‑46(e)(4a) reads as rewritten:

"(4a)     A By July 1, 2016, a PSAP must have a plan and means for 911 call‑taking in the event 911 calls cannot be received and processed in the primary PSAP. If a PSAP has made substantial progress toward implementation of the plan and means, the 911 Board may grant the PSAP an extension until July 1, 2017, to complete implementation of the plan and means. The plan must identify the alternative capability of taking the redirected 911 calls. This subdivision does not require a PSAP to construct an alternative facility to serve as a back‑up PSAP."

SECTION 2.  The 911 Board shall investigate alternatives for facilitation of uniform procurement and pricing of 911 eligible expenses through bulk purchasing and other means. No later than May 1, 2016, the Board shall report its findings, including any requests for legislative action, to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Information Technology.

SECTION 3.  Article 23 of Chapter 153A of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read as follows:

"§ 153A‑457.  911 dispatch services.

If a county operates a 911 public safety answering point that is funded, in whole or in part, by county ad valorem taxes, the county shall provide 911 dispatch services without additional charge to any city located within the county's jurisdictional limits if the governing body of the city adopts a resolution requesting the dispatch services. If the county was not already providing 911 dispatch services to the city, the county will have 12 months from the date of the resolution requesting the services to begin providing 911 dispatch services to the city."

SECTION 4.  The provisions of Section 3 of this act shall not apply if a county and city have entered into an agreement or contract to share in the costs of a centralized or consolidated 911 dispatch center.

SECTION 5.  Section 3 of this act becomes effective September 1, 2015. The remainder of this act is effective when it becomes law.