Legislation Assembly Republican Conference Leader David Rible sponsors to allow cell phone users to text 9-1-1 emergency messages today won General Assembly approval.
“Time is crucial in an emergency. A matter of minutes can mean the difference between life and death,” said Rible, R-Monmouth and Ocean, a former police officer. “With so many people today owning cell phones, it’s only logical that 9-1-1 centers should be equipped to handle emergency texts. If an intruder is in your house, texting for help is probably the safest means of notifying emergency personnel of your situation.”
Rible’s bill, A-3461/3544, ensures that New Jersey’s 9-1-1 centers be equipped with a “Next Generation” 9-1-1 system that can receive emergency messages via electronics and text within three years of enactment. “Next Generation” is a system that processes electronic messages, including text, images, video or data. The measure also requires the system to be consistent with federal law, and increases the monthly 9-1-1 fee by only nine cents per month to fund it. The fee will expire in three years.
The Federal Communication Commission (FCC) has made Text 9-1-1 available nationwide by requiring all U.S. wireless carriers to support 9-1-1 text messaging. The wireless carriers must be able to respond to state programs to deliver text messages by June 30, 2015.
The bill was previously approved by the Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee and Assembly Appropriations Committee.
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Let alone texting from there sell phone , I would think we need a push button near our phones in our homes that would allow younger kids to call 911 right away In case of intruder ?