S.B. No. 788

	AN ACT
	relating to requiring direct access to 9-1-1 service from certain
	telephone systems and equivalent systems that use Internet Protocol
	enabled services.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  This Act shall be known as Kari's Law.
	SECTION 2.  Subtitle B, Title 9, Health and Safety Code, is
	amended by adding Chapter 771A to read as follows:
	CHAPTER 771A. ACCESS TO EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES IN
	GENERAL
	Sec. 771A.001.  DIRECT ACCESS TO 9-1-1 SERVICE REQUIRED.
	(a)  In this chapter:
	(1)  "9-1-1 service" means a communications service
	that connects users to a public safety answering point through a
	9-1-1 system.
	(2)  "Business service user" means a user of business
	service that provides telecommunications service, including 9-1-1
	service, to end users through a publicly or privately owned or
	controlled telephone switch.
	(3)  "Commission" means the Commission on State
	Emergency Communications.
	(4)  "Emergency communication district" means:
	(A)  a public agency or group of public agencies
	acting jointly that provided 9-1-1 service before September 1,
	1987, or that had voted or contracted before that date to provide
	that service; or
	(B)  a district created under Subchapter B, C, D,
	F, or G, Chapter 772.
	(5)  "Internet Protocol enabled service" has the
	meaning assigned by Section 51.002, Utilities Code.
	(6)  "Telephone system" includes a multiline telephone
	system.
	(b)  This section applies to the extent the section is not
	inconsistent with or preempted by federal law.
	(c)  Notwithstanding any other law, a business service user
	that owns or controls a telephone system or an equivalent system
	that uses Internet Protocol enabled service and provides outbound
	dialing capacity or access shall configure the telephone system or
	equivalent system to allow a person initiating a 9-1-1 call on the
	system to directly access 9-1-1 service by dialing the digits 9-1-1
	without an additional code, digit, prefix, postfix, or trunk-access
	code.
	(d)  A business service user that provides residential or
	business facilities, owns or controls a telephone system or an
	equivalent system that uses Internet Protocol enabled service, and
	provides outbound dialing capacity or access shall configure the
	telephone system or equivalent system to provide a notification to
	a central location on the site of the residential or business
	facility when a person within the residential or business facility
	dials 9-1-1 if the system is able to be configured to provide the
	notification without an improvement to the system's hardware.  This
	subsection does not require a business service user to have a person
	available at the central location to receive a notification.
	(e)  The commission or the applicable emergency
	communication district shall grant a one-year waiver of the
	requirements under this section to a business service user if:
	(1)  the requirements would be unduly and unreasonably
	cost prohibitive for a business service user to comply with; and
	(2)  the business service user provides an affidavit
	not later than September 1 of each year stating:
	(A)  the manufacturer and model number of the
	telephone system or equivalent system that needs to be reprogrammed
	or replaced;
	(B)  that the business service user made a good
	faith attempt to reprogram or replace the system; and
	(C)  if the telephone system or equivalent system
	does not comply with Subsection (c), that the business service user
	agrees to place an instructional sticker immediately adjacent to
	each telephone that is accessed using the noncompliant system
	indicating that during the waiver period the telephone is unable to
	directly dial 9-1-1 and providing instructions for accessing 9-1-1
	in case of an emergency.  The instructional sticker must be printed
	in at least 16-point boldface type in a contrasting color using a
	font that is easily readable.
	(f)  The commission may adopt rules to implement this section
	for areas that are governed by a regional plan, and an emergency
	communication district may adopt those rules in accordance with
	Section 771.062.
	(g)  On the request of the business service user, the
	commission, an emergency communication district, or a home-rule
	municipality that independently operates a 9-1-1 system shall
	provide assistance to a business service user that is within the
	applicable governmental entity's jurisdiction in complying with
	this section.
	SECTION 3.  A business service user, as defined by Section
	771A.001(a), Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act, shall
	comply with Section 771A.001, Health and Safety Code, as added by
	this Act, not later than September 1, 2016.
	SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
	Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
	______________________________	______________________________
	President of the Senate	Speaker of the House
	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 788 passed the Senate on
	April 16, 2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 1.
	______________________________
	Secretary of the Senate
	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 788 passed the House on
	April 30, 2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 137, Nays 2, one
	present not voting.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House
	Approved:
	______________________________
	Date
	______________________________
	Governor