SRC-JEC H.B. 802 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 802
By: Geren (Harris)
Business & Commerce
4/23/2003
Engrossed

DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, state law requires certain telephone shared service
arrangements to have private switch 9-1-1 services if the end user is a
residential customer.  However, it does not require shared service
arrangements to have the private switch 9-1-1 enhancement if the end user
is a nonaffiliated business tenant or a private telephone system user
consolidated phone services at two or more locations.  H.B. 802 requires a
business service user, within the Tarrant County 9-1-1 emergency
communications district, that owns or leases a publicly or privately owned
telephone switch used to provide telephone services to non-affiliated
businesses to furnish for each 9-1-1 call the telephone number and address
of the subscriber. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to
a state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 772.218, Health and Safety Code, by amending
Subsection (d) and adding Subsections (e), (f), (g), (h), and (i), as
follows: 

(d)  Requires a business service owner that owns or leases a publicly or
privately owned telephone switch used to provide telephone services to
non-affiliated businesses to provide to those business end users the same
level of 9-1-1 service that a service supplier is required to provide
under Subsection (a) to other business end users in the emergency
communications district (district). 

(e)  Requires a business service user that owns or leases a publicly or
privately owned telephone switch used to consolidate telephone services at
two or more physical addresses to provide a level of 9-1-1 service that
identifies an accurate physical address and telephone number for each
9-1-1 call.  Provides that for purposes of this section, each floor of a
multi-tenant building is a different physical address. 

(f)  Requires a hotel, motel, or similar lodging facility that does not
operate with a 24hour, seven-day on-site telephone operator to use a
system that furnishes the telephone number and location of the individual
unit from which a 9-1-1 call is placed. 

(g)  Created from the existing text of Subsection (d).  Provides that a
service supplier, business service user, or lodging facility that
implements the network and database enhancements necessary to provide a
service described in Subsection (b), (d), (e), or (f), including a
supplier, user, or facility that is not required to provide the service,
is not liable to a person who uses a 9-1-1 system created under this
subchapter for the release to the district of the information specified in
this section.  Makes conforming changes. 

(h)  Provides that Subsections (d), and (e) do not apply to a
telecommunications system installed by a public school district or a state
agency. 

(i)  Provides that Subsections (d), (e), and (f) apply only to a
telecommunications system installed on or after September 1, 2003. 

 SECTION  2.  Effective date:  September 1, 2003.