| 1 | 1 | | 86R1498 JG-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 53 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to a request for 9-1-1 service by text message and the |
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| 8 | 8 | | provision of available contact information. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 771A, Health and Safety Code, is amended |
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| 11 | 11 | | by adding Section 771A.002 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 771A.002. ACCESS TO 9-1-1 SERVICE BY TEXT MESSAGE; |
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| 13 | 13 | | AVAILABLE CONTACT INFORMATION. (a) In this section, "public |
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| 14 | 14 | | safety answering point" has the meaning assigned by Section |
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| 15 | 15 | | 771.001. |
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| 16 | 16 | | (b) To the extent practicable and within available |
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| 17 | 17 | | resources, a public safety answering point shall receive emergency |
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| 18 | 18 | | 9-1-1 communications by calls and text messages. |
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| 19 | 19 | | (c) In this chapter and Chapters 771 and 772, any reference |
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| 20 | 20 | | to a call for emergency services received by a public safety |
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| 21 | 21 | | answering point that has implemented a system allowing emergency |
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| 22 | 22 | | 9-1-1 communications by text message means a call or text message. |
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| 23 | 23 | | (d) In this chapter and Chapters 771 and 772, a provision |
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| 24 | 24 | | referring to a telephone number associated with a call or text |
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| 25 | 25 | | message for emergency services applies only to a call or text |
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| 26 | 26 | | message originating from a device associated with a telephone |
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| 27 | 27 | | number. |
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| 28 | 28 | | (e) A provider or user shall provide to the public safety |
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| 29 | 29 | | answering point any other relevant and available contact |
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| 30 | 30 | | information of a person requesting emergency services using a |
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| 31 | 31 | | device not associated with a telephone number. |
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| 32 | 32 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |
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