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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a request for 9-1-1 services by text message. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 771A, Health and Safety Code, is amended |
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by adding Section 771A.002 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 771A.002. ACCESS TO 9-1-1 SERVICE BY TEXT MESSAGE. (a) |
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In this section, "public safety answering point" has the meaning |
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assigned by Section 771.001. |
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(b) To the extent practicable and within available |
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resources, a public safety answering point shall receive emergency |
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9-1-1 communications by calls and text messages. |
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(c) In this chapter and Chapters 771 and 772, any reference |
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to a call for emergency services received by a public safety |
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answering point that has implemented text messaging means a call or |
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text message. |
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(d) In this chapter and Chapters 771 and 772, a provision |
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referring to a telephone number associated with a call or text |
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message for emergency services applies only to a call or text |
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message that has a telephone number associated with the device from |
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which the call or text message originated. Any other relevant and |
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available contact information of a person using a device not |
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associated with a telephone number to request the emergency |
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services must be provided to the public safety answering point. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |