EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM

Senate Bill 1267

Sponsor:  Sen. Jud Gilbert, II

Senate Committee:  Technology and Energy

House Committee:  Energy and Technology

Complete to 12-6-04

A SUMMARY OF SENATE BILL 1267 AS PASSED BY THE SENATE

The bill would amend the Emergency Telephone Service Enabling Act (MCL 484.1317 et al.) to allow a 9-1-1 service district to implement an emergency notification system under which emergency service responders could contact service users (telephone customers) within a specific geographic area in cases of imminent danger or emergency that could affect the user's health, safety, or welfare.

Upon request, a telephone service supplier (a telephone company) would have to provide each 9-1-1 service district within the supplier's service area with the telephone number and address data for each service user (customer) within the district. A service supplier could charge a reasonable rate to provide the data. A 9-1-1 service district could not request the data more than once per month. The data could be used only for the purposes provided in the bill. The bill would not apply to a wireless carrier. A violation of the bill's provisions would be a misdemeanor. (Under the Michigan Penal Code, a misdemeanor for which no punishment is specified in statute may be punished by imprisonment for up to 90 days and/or a maximum fine of $500.)

Currently, a 9-1-1 system agency, its agents, or its employees may not use or disclose a caller's name, address, or telephone number information for any purpose except to identify the caller's telephone location or identity, unless the information is used or disclosed pursuant to a court order. Under the bill, personal information could be disclosed to and used by a member of a public safety agency, if necessary to respond to events or situations that were dangerous or threatened individual or public safety.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The bill would have an indeterminate fiscal impact on state and local government.  It would allow service suppliers to charge reasonable rates for providing data to 9-1-1 service districts; however, it is unknown whether service suppliers would charge rates or what the amount of those rates may be.  Also indeterminate are the costs and revenues from potential misdemeanors resulting from violations.

                                                                                           Legislative Analyst:   Chris Couch

                                                                                                  Fiscal Analyst:   Jan Wisniewski

■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.