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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to next generation 9-1-1 service and the establishment of |
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a next generation 9-1-1 service fund. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 771.001, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended by adding Subdivisions (5-a) and (5-b) and amending |
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Subdivision (6) to read as follows: |
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(5-a) "Next generation 9-1-1 service" has the meaning |
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assigned by 47 U.S.C. Section 942. |
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(5-b) "Next generation 9-1-1 service fund" means the |
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next generation 9-1-1 service fund established under Section |
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771.0713. |
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(6) "9-1-1 service" means a communications service |
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that connects users to a public safety answering point through a |
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9-1-1 system. The term includes next generation 9-1-1 service. |
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SECTION 2. Section 771.059, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 771.059. TARGET DATE [DEADLINE] FOR STATEWIDE NEXT |
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GENERATION 9-1-1 SERVICE. Before September 1, 2025 [1995], all |
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parts of the state must be covered by next generation 9-1-1 service. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter D, Chapter 771, Health and Safety |
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Code, is amended by adding Section 771.0713 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 771.0713. NEXT GENERATION 9-1-1 SERVICE FUND. (a) The |
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next generation 9-1-1 service fund is created as a fund in the state |
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treasury outside the general revenue fund. |
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(b) Notwithstanding any other law and except as provided by |
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federal law, the comptroller shall transfer to the credit of the |
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next generation 9-1-1 service fund any amount available from |
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federal money provided to this state from the Coronavirus State and |
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Local Fiscal Recovery Funds under Section 9901 of the American |
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Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. No. 117-2) or from any other |
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federal governmental source for purposes of this chapter. The |
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comptroller shall transfer the money as soon as practicable |
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following the receipt by this state of a sufficient amount of |
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federal money for the transfer. |
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(c) Money deposited to the credit of the next generation |
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9-1-1 service fund may be used only for the purpose of supporting |
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the deployment and reliable operation of next generation 9-1-1 |
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service, including the costs of equipment, operations, and |
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administration. Money in the fund may be distributed to only the |
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commission and emergency communication districts and must be used |
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in a manner that complies with federal law. |
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(d) Interest earned on money deposited to the credit of the |
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next generation 9-1-1 service fund is exempt from Section 404.071, |
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Government Code. Interest on money in the fund shall be retained in |
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the fund. |
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(e) The comptroller may issue guidelines for use by the |
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commission and emergency communication districts in implementing |
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this section. |
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(f) All money in the fund shall be distributed in accordance |
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with this section not later than December 31, 2022, and all money |
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distributed under this section shall be spent not later than |
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December 31, 2024, for the deployment and reliable operation of |
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next generation 9-1-1 service. |
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(g) This section expires September 1, 2025. |
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SECTION 4. Sections 771.0711(g) and (j), Health and Safety |
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Code, are repealed. |
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SECTION 5. Not later than December 1, 2021, the comptroller |
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of public accounts shall adopt rules necessary to establish and |
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administer the next generation 9-1-1 service fund established under |
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Section 771.0713, Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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