HR 429: House Study Committee on Funding for Next Generation 9-1-1; create

The House Committee on Rules offers the following substitute to HR 429:

A RESOLUTION

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

WHEREAS, the State of Georgia's current 9-1-1 system does not fully realize the advancements in technology and communications to serve 9-1-1 callers in this state as effectively as possible; and

WHEREAS, an estimated 240 million calls are made to 9-1-1 in the United States each year and an estimated 85 percent of all calls made to 9-1-1 originate from a mobile device; and

WHEREAS, Next Generation 9-1-1 is an advanced system that modernizes and enhances the capabilities of current 9-1-1 services; and

WHEREAS, the State of Georgia's current 9-1-1 infrastructure has remained largely unchanged since its inception in 1968, and the state's current 9-1-1 funding model was created and authorized by the Georgia General Assembly in 1977; and

WHEREAS, it is in the best interest of the State of Georgia and its residents to establish a committee dedicated to a comprehensive review of the state's current 9-1-1 funding provisions and to study and identify any reforms necessary to provide adequate funding to support the transition from legacy 9-1-1 centers to modern Next Generation 9-1-1 centers in a manner that will ensure that their current and future operations can be fully realized in Georgia.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:

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

(2) Members and officers. The committee shall be composed of five members of the House of Representatives to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The Speaker shall designate a member of the committee as chairperson of the committee.

(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 chairperson 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 and funding. 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. The allowances authorized by this resolution shall not be received by any member of the committee for more than three 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.

(6) Report.

(A) In the event the committee adopts any specific findings or recommendations that include suggestions for proposed legislation, the chairperson 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 chairperson 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 chairperson of the committee and filed with the Clerk of the House of Representatives.

(D) In the absence of an approved report, the chairperson may file with the Clerk of the House of Representatives a copy of the minutes of the meetings of the committee in lieu thereof.

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