Improving 911 services for Missourians

Missouri 126th District

JEFFERSON CITY –– With three weeks to go until the end of Session, the Missouri House of Representatives is working diligently to finalize legislative priorities. We have had spirited debate and sent many bills to the Senate for consideration. Of special note is HB 334, designed to improve 911 services for all Missourians.

The Missouri House of Representatives gave final approval to legislation designed to consolidate and provide adequate funding for the state’s 911 call centers. The bill is meant to ensure Missourians have access to 911 emergency services in all parts of the state.

The bill would update the current funding model for 911 services that was put in place more than three decades ago and is based on a surcharge on traditional landline phone lines. Supporters of the bill note that more and more residents have done away with landlines and switched to cell phones, which has caused funding for 911 services to diminish. The legislation approved by the House would allow local municipalities to submit for voter approval a fee of up to $1.50 for any device capable of contacting 911.

The legislation approved by the House would also allow and encourage municipalities to work together to consolidate 911 services. It also would implement a 3 percent surcharge on each retail purchase of a prepaid cell phone to provide additional funding for 911 services. An amendment added to the bill on the floor would put the state on track to implement a next generation 911 system that would allow for the use of electronic messages including text, images, video, and data.

Supporters say the legislation will provide a flexible framework for the consolidation of 911 public safety programs, which will in turn improve emergency response times, and will help provide 911 services in under-served areas of the state.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your State Representative. Please contact me at patricia.pike@house.mo.gov or 573-751-5388 with any questions or concerns regarding state issues.