C.S.H.B. 522 78(R)
Page 1 of 1BILL ANALYSIS 


C.S.H.B. 522
By: Lewis
Law Enforcement
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, the Tarrant County 9-1-1 Emergency Communication
District has allowable operating expenses which include all equipment and
personnel necessary to operate a public safety answering point.  The
legislative language used for addressing "allowable expenses" for the
Tarrant County District was copied from previous enabling legislation for
the Harris County 9-1-1 Emergency Communication District.  While  the
Tarrant County 9-1-1 Emergency Communication District does have
responsibility for the implementation and enhancement of the 9-1-1
communications infrastructure (network and database services), it does not
have responsibility for emergency dispatch or response.  Since the Tarrant
County 9-1-1 Emergency Communication District does not employ public
safety point answering personnel (answering personnel are employed by
cities and other entities), this bill is necessary to assure that the
statutory language conforms to the actual operation of the Tarrant County
9-1-1 Emergency Communication District. C.S.H.B. 522 removes personnel as
an allowable operating expense for the Tarrant County 9-1-1 Emergency
Communication District.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or
institution. 

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 522 amends Section 772.217 of the Health and Safety Code to
delete language describing allowable operating expenses as "equipment and
personnel necessary to establish and operate a public safety answering
point and other related answering points" and to add language allowing
expenses for costs attributable to the operation of the 9-1-1 system and
related services.   

This subchapter applies to a county with a population of more than 860,000
in which an emergency communication district was created under Chapter 7,
Acts of the 68th Legislature, 2nd Called Session, 1984, before January 1,
1988.  

EFFECTIVE DATE

This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.


COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 522 modifies the original bill by deleting the explicit statement
that costs of personnel necessary to operate a public safety answering
point are not allowable operating expenses of such emergency communication
districts.  The substitute provides the board of the emergency
communication district with the option of employing public safety
answering point personnel at a later date if necessary.