E911 Legislation Overview

It is important to understand how legislation fits into the PBX/911 picture. There is a growing movement across the United States for states to enact legislation which specifically addresses the issue of PBX/911.

PBX/911 has become a serious issue. As a solution provider, Amcom can help educate you about this critical issue, as well as to provide a range of solutions for E911 compliance.

All documents contained in this legislation section are prepared as an informational service only and should not be relied upon as an official record of action taken by any of the state offices referenced herein. Reliance on any such information is at the user’s own risk. Amcom does not warrant the accuracy, reliability, completeness or timeliness of any information included in this publication and may not be held liable for any losses caused by any person’s reliance on the information.

If you need legal advice, please consult a qualified attorney to determine your organization’s potential liability and responsibility.

Additional information about E911 compliance can be found on the NENA (National Emergency Number Association) web site, or by searching the NENA chapter websites offered by most states.

Summary

There is a wide range of legislation currently in process or approved. Here is a brief summary of each state’s requirements:

Alaska - Multi-line telephone system (MLTS) operators shall deliver 911 calls with automatic number identification (ANI) which will include the automatic location identification (ALI) which provides the emergency response location of at least the building address and floor of the 911 caller. View Alaska's E911 Legislation

Arkansas - Arkansas Code Ann. 12-10-303. Any exchange telephone service provider is required to send telephone number and street address to the PSAP, rules apply to broad base of entities. View Arkansas' E911 Legislation

Colorado - Colorado Statute Article 11, Emergency Telephone Service, was signed into law March 19, 2001 and effective August 8, 2001. This statute requires MLTS operators to disclose to their customers written information describing how to dial 911 emergency service from an MLTS telephone. Requires the operators to notify their customers if the system does not provide the precise location or telephone number of the 911 caller to the public safety answering point. Authorizes the public utilities commission to adopt rules to implement this act and clarifies that the provisions of the act do not alter the method of regulation or deregulation of telecommunications providers by the public utilities commission. View Colorado's E911 Legislation Page

Connecticut - Multi-line telephone system operators that provide shared tennant services must ensure their telecommunication systems provide one distinctive ANI and ALI for each residential unit. Multi-line Telephone System Operators servicing business locations of one employer shall deliver the 911 call with an ELIN (emergency location identification number) designating an ERL (emergency response location) that provides at least the building and floor location of the caller.

Multi-line telephone system operators servicing hotels and motels shall deliver the 911 call with an ALI (Automatic number identification) or ELIN (emergency location identification number) from each telephone set in the facility designating an ERL (emergency response location) that provides the PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point) with the ability to clearly identify the address and the BUI (Building unit identifier) of the 911 caller.  Requirements for ERLs are outlined, as are timelines for

implementation of these rules, including specific timelines for MLTS wireless telephones; MLTS Internet Protocol (IP) telephones and IP-based MLTS. View An Act Concerning Multiline Telephone Systems and Enhanced 911

Florida - The Florida statue was signed into law June 23, 2003. The law defines the common terms used in the section (ALI, ANI, ALI retrieval, PBX) and states each PBX system installed after January 1, 2004 must be capable of providing automatic location identification to the station level. Download PDF Overview About Florida's E911 Legislation or View Florida's E911 Legislation

Illinois - Senate Bill 149, which amends the Emergency Telephone Systems Act [50 ILCS Act 750] by changing the 911 requirements for private business switch service to comply with Section 15.6 (a), was signed by the Governor, August 13, 1999. The effective date is June 30, 2000. This law requires entities that use PBX telephone systems and occupy 40,000 square feet or more of space to provide location information and a call back phone number to the local Emergency 911 System (PSAP). Download PDF Overview About Illinois' E911 Legislation or View Illinois' E911 Legislation Page

Kentucky - HB560 effective July 15, 1998, requires that dispersed private telephone systems connect into the local Enhanced 911 Emergency Telephone System beginning in 2001. This means the specific address of the telephone number must be available to the person who answers the 911 call. This bill requires residential complexes to have automatic location identification compatibility, but does not require any solution for a “multiline, shared tenant system of PBX owned and operated by a state agency or used in providing service within a hotel or motel.” View Kentucky's E911 Legislation Page

Louisiana - Any PBX installed after January 1, 2005 must be capable of providing ALI (automatic location identification) to the station level. Download PDF Overview About Louisiana's E911 Legislation or View Louisiana's E911 Legislation Page

Maine - Emergency Services Communication (Heading PL 1989, c.502, Pt. A, @103), was signed into law June 20, 2003. This statute requires privately owned or leased multi-line telephone systems to provide to end users the same level of E 911 service that non-multi-line end users receive, which includes: automatic number identification signaling, station identification data and updates to E 911 databases. Requires multi-line telephone systems that are newly installed or replaced to be compliant with routine technical rules adopted by the Department of Public Safety, Emergency Services Communication Bureau. View Maine's E911 Legislation Page

Massachusetts - Section 18J. "Beginning July 1, 2009, any new or substantially renovated MLTS (multi-line telephone system) shall provide the same level of enhanced 911 service that is provided to others in the commonwealth." For the purposes of this section, an “MLTS” shall mean a system comprised of telephones and control hardware and software providing local telephone service to multiple end-use customers in businesses, apartments, townhouses, condominiums, schools, dormitories, hotels, motels, resorts, extended care facilities, or similar entities, facilities or structures. “Multi-line telephone system” shall include: (1) network and premises based systems such as Centrex, PBX and hybrid key telephone systems; and (2) systems owned or leased by governmental agencies, nonprofit entities and for-profit businesses. Download PDF Overview About Massachusetts' E911 Legislation or View Massachusetts' E911 Legislation Page                                                                                                                                  

Michigan - Pending. Legislation was introduced in January 2007 to require telephone service providers that provide telecommunications facilities or services to businesses to use equipment capable of providing automatic number and location identification on 911 calls, with sufficient precision to pinpoint a 911 caller within a distinct 40,000 square foot portion of a business or commercial location, with some exceptions. Currently in committee. Download PDF Overview About Michigan's E911 Legislation or View Michigan's E911 Legislation Page

Minnesota - The Minnesota Statute was signed into law May 29, 2004. The law regulates that owners and operators of PBX systems installed after January 1, 2005, that are used in private businesses, hotels, residential units, and educational institutions, including schools and colleges, must provide a call back number and emergency response location. Download PDF Overview About Minnesota's E911 Legislation or View Minnesota's E911 Legislation Page

Mississippi - After December 31, 1993 each entity operating a shared tenant service type of telephone system is required to provide telephone number location information for each and every “extension” when in an Enhanced 911 service area. View Mississippi's E911 Legislation Page

Nebraska - Pending. Nebraska Revised Statute 86-440.01- County implementation of enhanced 911 service. Each county shall implement enhanced-911 service by July 1, 2010.  No specific requirements have been detailed for MLTS as of November 24, 2008. Download PDF Overview About Nebraska's E911 Legislation or View Nebraska's E911 Legislation Page

Ohio - Pending. A bill based on the NENA model legislation is being drafted, but has not yet been introduced. Download PDF Overview About Ohio's Pending E911 Legislation

Pennsylvania - Pending. Automatic location identification in multi-line telephone systems. Automatic number identification. An owner or operator of a multi-line telephone system installed after February, 5, 2007 shall provide automatic number identification for every telephone station to the 911 network service provider. Download PDF Overview About Pennsylvania's E911 Legislation or View Pennsylvania's Public Safety Emergency Telephone Act Page

Tennessee - Legislation in place for “Shared Tenant Service Providers”  (any basic local exchange service subscriber who shares or resells basic local exchange service) must ensure that their system provides ANI and updated ALI for every 911 call. Download PDF Overview About Tennessee's E911 Legislation or   View Tennessee's E911 Legislation Page

Texas - Texas Statute, Chapter 771.060; BUSINESS PROVIDING RESIDENTIAL TELEPHONE SWITCHES. A business service user that provides residential facilities and owns or leases a private telephone switch used to provide telephone service to facility residents shall provide to those residential end users the same level of 911 service that a service supplier is providing to other residential end users. Tarrant County Emergency Communication District has its own specific regulations for E911; Businesses using a publicly or privately owned telephone switch must be able to provide an accurate physical location and phone number for each 911 call. For businesses, location information must be minimally specified to the floor. View Texas' E911 Legislation

Vermont - Statute Title 30: Public Service, Chapter 88: Universal Telecommunications Service was signed into law June 20, 1994 and became effective July 1, 1994. Once Enhanced 911 is available, “any privately owned telephone system shall provide to those users the same level of 911 service that other end users in the area receive and shall provide ANI signaling, station identification data, and updates to enhanced 911 databases under the rules adopted by the board.” (Note: Through research, it is Amcom’s understanding that Enhanced 911 is available throughout the state of Vermont at the time of publication of this document.) View Vermont's E911 Legislation Page

Virginia - Virginia Acts of Assembly Chapter 427, signed into law March 19, 2007, amends Title 56 of the Code of Virginia. All PBX/MLTS installed after July 1, 2009 must provide ANI and ALI to the local PSAP for 911 calls unless alternate methods of notification have been approved. Download PDF Overview About Virginia's E911 Legislation or View Virginia's E911 Legislation Page

Washington - Washington Statute RCW 80.04.010, signed into law May 5, 1995 and effective July 1, 1995, requires compatibility for “those settings with the most risk,” which are schools, businesses and multi-tenant services. The legislation further outlines that any commercial shared services provider of private shared telecommunications services for hire or resale to the general public to multiple unaffiliated business users from a single system shall assure that 911 results in ALI for each telephone in a format that is compatible with existing or planned county E911 systems. This section shall apply to providers of service to businesses containing a physical area exceeding 25,000 square feet, or businesses on more than one floor of a building, or businesses in multiple locations. View Washington's E911 Legislation Page

Read more about the history of 911