[update] Wireless 911 report critical of Ohio; Flowers, Driehaus intro HB 550 to help

Here’s the report (a pdf), called, “Health of the US 9-1-1 System.” Once you open it, search on “Ohio” to locate its critiques. Here’s a summary of the report.

I’ve been writing about the wireless 911 provision crisis for more than a year. Ohio House Representatives Larry Flowers (R, 19) and Steve Driehaus (D, 31) announced last December that they would introduce a bill to head off and outright confront the changes in our habits so that we will not have to say woulda, shoulda, coulda.

Yesterday, they introduced House Bill 550:

…to extend until 2013 the wireless 9-1-1 charge, to raise the minimum, annual fund disbursement amount for each county from $25,000 to $90,000, and to broaden local uses of that revenue.

The analysis is not yet available and I’ve noted that my representative (more about that below) is not yet listed as a co-sponsor. However, the bill’s first hearing is scheduled for today per Gongwer in the House Finance and Appropriations committee at 1:30pm (I may try to see if it’s something The Ohio Channel covers):

HB 550 WIRELESS 911 FEES (Flowers, Driehaus) To extend until 2013 the wireless 9-1-1 charge, to raise the minimum, annual fund disbursement amount for each county from $25,000 to $90,000, and to broaden local uses of that revenue.–1st Hearing-Sponsor Full Text

Government Technology (quoting in part from the report’s press release) wrote:

On Wednesday, May 14th, 9-1-1 officials representing counties throughout Ohio, members of the 9-1-1 Industry Alliance (9IA), and Ohio State Reps. Larry Flowers and Steven Driehaus will detail the findings of a national report on the health of 9-1-1, noting a “critical lack of funding” is compromising the safety of Ohioans.

The report, compiled by ColoComm Group, LLC, an independent research group widely recognized by federal and congressional groups as an expert in public safety, concluded a critical lack of funding has resulted in a gap between the types of communications devices people use and those able to fully benefit from access to 9-1-1 services.

…

“If we don’t have a steady, dependable funding stream in place for 9-1-1, we certainly can’t address today’s wireless 9-1-1 challenges, let alone implement a long-term plan to support 9-1-1 for emerging technologies like text messaging,” said Bill Hinkle, chairman of Ohio’s 9-1-1 Council. “By securing funding now, Ohio has the opportunity to be the bellwether for other states to follow when assessing the health of their 9-1-1 system.”

According to the 9-1-1 Industry Alliance’s press release, the press conference will take place at 10 a.m. at the Holiday Inn on North High Street in Worthington tomorrow.

Hattip to my State Rep. Josh Mandel’s aide, Michael Lord. Michael has called me multiple times to keep me informed on the progress of the wireless 911 issue. He has been informative, pleasant and responsive. Many thanks to Michael.

Update: State Rep. Mandel phoned me re: the co-sponsoring observation and explained the procedural chances through which the legislators have opportunities to sign on and his expectation to continue to follow the bill. I also remarked that if “broaden local uses of that revenue” is too broad, even I would might have trouble supporting the bill, without discussion or amendments. But I don’t know a ton about how the legislature works that way. I look forward to seeing the bill’s analysis.