HB 213-FN – AS INTRODUCED
2009 SESSION
09/04
HOUSE BILL 213-FN
AN ACT requiring the bureau of emergency communications to develop and maintain a statewide emergency notification system.
SPONSORS: Rep. Levesque, Hills 5; Rep. Friedrich, Graf 6
COMMITTEE: Science, Technology and Energy
This bill requires the bureau of emergency communications to develop and maintain a statewide emergency notification system.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
09-0589
09/04
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nine
AN ACT requiring the bureau of emergency communications to develop and maintain a statewide emergency notification system.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Paragraph; Enhanced 911 System; Definitions; Emergency Notification System. Amend RSA 106-H:2 by inserting after paragraph V the following new paragraph:
V-a. “Emergency notification system” or “ENS” means a notification system that enables a public safety answering point to send a pre-recorded voice message to the wired telephone of every resident and business within a specific area in a short period of time for the purpose of alerting the public about an emergency situation.
2 New Subdivision; Emergency Notification System. Amend RSA 106-H by inserting after section 15 the following new subdivision:
106-H:16 Emergency Notification System.
I. For the purposes of alerting members of the public about emergencies in their area and delivering rapid emergency notification and information, the bureau shall develop and maintain a statewide emergency notification system (ENS). The bureau shall coordinate whatever means exist for rapid and efficient notification of the public in time of emergency or disaster, and may utilize existing communications systems and networks for emergency state and local governmental purposes.
II. The ENS shall use the most accurate and complete telephone number data available with procedures established to ensure that the data is regularly updated and corrected. This data shall remain confidential and shall be used by the ENS solely for the purposes of emergency notification and message delivery.
III. The bureau shall, to the greatest extent possible, ensure that the ENS is fully geographic information system (GIS) capable and able to define an emergency zone by address, by telephone exchange, or by geographic area. Wired telephone line numbers shall be linked to a GIS mapping database and able to perform a query based on address, telephone number, or a general geographic area.
IV. To accommodate the use of the ENS during a large-scale disaster, the ENS shall be capable of providing a pre-recorded voice or text message and delivering that message virtually instantaneously to a large number of telephones and communications devices. The ENS shall be capable of delivering these messages to anywhere at anytime on a wide range of communication devices. The ENS shall be full-featured, failsafe, and have the ability to deliver emergency communications and instructions with speed and efficiency.
V. To support interjurisdictional disaster and emergency services plans, the bureau shall ensure that the ENS :
(a) Is coordinated with the bureau’s emergency communication system.
(b) Provides for simultaneous delivery of emergency notifications to telephones and/or other communication devices.
(c) Incorporates a wide range of existing communication methods and devices to make emergency notifications, to land-based telephones, pagers, and land mobile radios.
(d) Integrates with the state data and communications networks in such a manner to provide redundancy.
(e) Is a secure, manageable Internet-based system that can be accessed from anywhere with either a password protected Internet connection or the assistance of 24/7 bureau personnel.
(f) Has a design structure to ensure at least 99 percent reliability.
(g) Allows for use of predefined, event-specific templates.
(h) Can report on who received an emergency notification message, what time the message was received, and the basic content of the message.
(i) Is configurable to allow authorized users the ability to edit the emergency notification message and where the message is to be sent.
(j) Is designed and configurable to allow the system to insure the network integrity of all service providers.
(k) Requires the emergency notification message to contain notice provided by the person or entity initiating the emergency notification message of where to receive further information, including sources such as television, radio, and websites.
(l) States that there is an opt-out provision for municipalities and individual subscribers.
VI. The bureau shall ensure that every state, county, and local emergency response agency has access to and training in the use of the ENS.
VII. The bureau shall establish policies, standards, and procedures for a statewide emergency notification system for the state of New Hampshire. The bureau shall conduct regular assessments and tests of the ENS to ensure that it is functioning properly in compliance with the requirements of this section and that it meets all federal and state requirements for incident management.
3 Funding. Amend RSA 106-H:9, II to read as follows:
II. Imposition of the enhanced 911 services surcharge shall begin not later than 4 months from the approval of the budget, in order to provide adequate funding for the development of the enhanced 911 database and other operations [necessary to the development] of the enhanced 911 system and emergency notification system.
4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2010.
LBAO
09-0589
01/02/09
HB 213-FN - FISCAL NOTE
AN ACT requiring the bureau of emergency communications to develop and maintain a statewide emergency notification system.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Department of Safety states this bill may increase state restricted expenditures by $804,000 in FY 2010 and $12,000 in FY 2011 and each fiscal year thereafter. There will be no fiscal impact on state, county, and local revenue or county and local expenditures.
METHODOLOGY:
The Department of Safety states this bill requires the Department to develop and maintain a statewide emergency notification system. The Department projects the additional hardware and software needed to convert existing systems to provide rapid emergency notification to citizens in a specific area of the State in a short period of time will not exceed $800,000. The annual cost associated with maintaining the necessary phone lines would depend on state contracts for telephone service; however, the Department estimates the cost will not exceed $12,000 per year. The Department estimates FY 2010 phone costs to be $4,000 due to the effective date of the bill. Expenses will be paid from the restricted E-911 fund.
The Department further states the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) operates the existing equipment that would need to be upgraded under this bill. The Department of Safety currently has an agreement in place to share use of this equipment. The Department assumes the current agreement would continue; however, if DHHS decides to end this agreement, there would be an additional cost of $400,000 for equipment.