SR 282: Joint Study Committee on Funding for Next Generation 9-1-1 Sustainability; create

Senate Resolution 282

By: Senators Bearden of the 30th, Albers of the 56th, Hodges of the 3rd, Williams of the 25th, Kirkpatrick of the 32nd and others

A RESOLUTION

Creating the Joint Study Committee on Funding for Next Generation 9-1-1 Sustainability; and for other purposes.

WHEREAS, the State of Georgia's current 9-1-1 funding model was created and authorized by the Georgia General Assembly in 1977, at a time when almost every home and business had landline telephone service; and

WHEREAS, the current telecommunications landscape has changed substantially since 1977 and now the number of mobile phones and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) accounts outnumber the landline telephones in service in this state; and

WHEREAS, in 1977, the General Assembly established a maximum fee of $1.50 per landline telephone to be used for funding 9-1-1 centers; and

WHEREAS, the number of telephones in use statewide, regardless of the technology utilized, has increased significantly since 1977; and

WHEREAS, technologies are on the horizon that will allow 9-1-1 centers to be contacted by data sessions and text messages originating from mobile telephones and other devices; and

WHEREAS, Part 4 of Article 2 of Chapter 5 of Title 46 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, the "Georgia Emergency Telephone Number 9-1-1 Service Act of 1977," which provides for 9-1-1 funding, has been amended several times since 1977 in an attempt to keep up with changes in technology; and

WHEREAS, most of the calls to 9-1-1 centers today originate from mobile telephones and other devices; and

WHEREAS, the funding mechanism for 9-1-1 centers may need to be updated to reflect today's environment; and

WHEREAS, a comprehensive review of this state's 9-1-1 funding provisions is needed in order to study and identify any reforms necessary to provide adequate funding for maintaining effective and efficient 9-1-1 centers in order to ensure the public safety of all citizens of Georgia.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF

GEORGIA:

(1) Creation of joint study committee. There is created the Joint Study Committee on Funding for Next Generation 9-1-1 Sustainability.

(2) Members and officers. The committee shall be composed of the following members:

(A) The President of the Senate shall appoint five members of the Senate as members of the committee, one of whom shall be a member of the Senate Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee and one of whom shall be a member of the Senate Public Safety Committee. The President of the Senate shall also designate one of such members as cochairperson;

(B) The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint five members of the House of Representatives as members of the committee, one of whom shall be a member of the House Committee on Energy, Utilities, and Telecommunications and one of whom shall be a member of the House Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security. The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall also designate one of such members as cochairperson;

(C) The executive director of the Georgia Emergency Communications Authority, or his or her designee;

(D) The director of the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, or his or her designee;

(E) The commissioner of the Department of Revenue, or his or her designee;

(F) The president of the Georgia Municipal Association, or his or her designee; and

(E) The president of the Association County Commissioners of Georgia, or his or her designee.

(3) Powers and duties. The committee shall undertake a study of the conditions, needs, issues, and problems mentioned above or related thereto and recommend any action or legislation which the committee deems necessary or appropriate.

(4) Meetings. The cochairpersons shall call all meetings of the committee. The committee may conduct such meetings at such places and at such times as it may deem necessary or convenient to enable it to exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and accomplish the objectives and purposes of this resolution.

(5) Allowances, expenses, and funding.

(A) The legislative members of the committee shall receive the allowances provided for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.

(B) Members of the committee who are state officials, other than legislative members, or state employees shall receive no compensation for their services on the committee, but they may be reimbursed for expenses incurred by them in the performance of their duties as members of the committee in the same manner as they are reimbursed for expenses in their capacities as state officials or employees.

(C) Members of the committee who are not legislators, state officials, or state employees shall receive a daily expense allowance in an amount the same as that specified in subsection (b) of Code Section 45-7-21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, as well as the mileage or transportation allowance authorized for state employees.

(D) The allowances and expenses authorized by this resolution shall not be received by any member of the committee for more than five days unless additional days are authorized. Funds necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come from funds appropriated to the House of Representatives and Senate; except that funds for the reimbursement of the expenses of state officials, other than legislative members, and state employees shall come from funds appropriated to or otherwise available to their respective agencies.

(6) Report.

(A) In the event the committee adopts any specific findings or recommendations that include suggestions for proposed legislation, the cochairpersons shall file a report of the same prior to the date of abolishment specified in this resolution, subject to subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.

(B) In the event the committee adopts a report that does not include suggestions for proposed legislation, the cochairpersons shall file the report, subject to subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.

(C) No report shall be filed unless the same has been approved prior to the date of abolishment specified in this resolution by majority vote of a quorum of the committee. A report so approved shall be signed by the cochairpersons of the committee and filed with the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives.

(D) In the absence of an approved report, the cochairpersons may file with the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives copies of the minutes of the meetings of the committee in lieu thereof.

(7) Abolishment. The committee shall stand abolished on December 1, 2025.