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LEGISLATURE OF NEBRASKA
ONE HUNDRED EIGHTH LEGISLATURE
SECOND SESSION
LEGISLATIVE BILL 929
Introduced by Fredrickson, 20.
Read first time January 04, 2024
Committee: Transportation and Telecommunications
1 A BILL FOR AN ACT relating to telecommunications; to amend sections
2 86-1025 and 86-1029.02, Revised Statutes Cumulative Supplement,
3 2022; to state legislative findings; to provide for dual capability
4 between the 911 service system and the 988 Suicide and Crisis
5 Lifeline; to provide duties; to provide immunity from liability; and
6 to repeal the original sections.
7 Be it enacted by the people of the State of Nebraska,
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1 Section 1. (1) The Legislature finds that:
2 (a) In 2020, Congress enacted the federal National Suicide Hotline
3 Designation Act of 2020, Public Law 116-172. This federal act designated
4 988 as the universal three-digit telephone number within the United
5 States for the purpose of the national suicide prevention and mental
6 health crisis hotline system operating since 2005 through the National
7 Suicide Prevention Lifeline;
8 (b) The three-digit 988 code became operational nationally in 2022,
9 and is a more universal and easy-to-remember way to connect individuals
10 experiencing mental health-related distress with mental health care
11 professionals; and
12 (c) The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is a national effort,
13 organized at the state level, and serves as an alternative to 911 in
14 addressing the growing need for mental health-related crisis intervention
15 in order to save lives.
16 (2) The Department of Health and Human Services shall:
17 (a) Oversee administration of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline in
18 Nebraska, including contracting for services provided by trained
19 counselors, call-center operators, and other service providers helping
20 operate the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline network in the state; and
21 (b) Coordinate and cooperate with the Public Service Commission to
22 ensure that the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline has the capability to
23 connect individuals to the 911 service system and also receive
24 communications from the 911 service system as provided under subdivision
25 (6) of section 86-1025.
26 (3) Except for failure to use reasonable care or for intentional
27 acts, each person involved in the provision of 988 Suicide and Crisis
28 Lifeline service, including 988 service providers, call-center operators,
29 and counselors, shall be immune from liability or the payment of damages
30 in the performance of installing, maintaining, or providing such service,
31 including providing interoperable connections between the 988 Suicide and
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1 Crisis Lifeline and the 911 service system.
2 Sec. 2. Section 86-1025, Revised Statutes Cumulative Supplement,
3 2022, is amended to read:
4 86-1025 The commission shall:
5 (1) Serve as the statewide coordinating authority for the
6 implementation of the 911 service system;
7 (2) Be responsible for statewide planning, implementation,
8 coordination, funding assistance, deployment, and management and
9 maintenance of the 911 service system to ensure that coordinated 911
10 service is provided to all residents of the state at a consistent level
11 of service in a cost-effective manner;
12 (3) Be responsible for establishing mandatory and uniform technical
13 and training standards applicable to public safety answering points and
14 adopting and promulgating rules and regulations applicable to public
15 safety answering points for quality assurance standards;
16 (4) Appoint the members of the committee and act on the committee's
17 recommendations as provided in section 86-1025.01; and
18 (5)(a) Determine how to allocate the 911 Service System Fund in
19 order to facilitate the planning, implementation, coordination,
20 operation, management, and maintenance of the 911 service system;
21 (b) Create a mechanism for determining the level of funding
22 available to or for the benefit of local governing bodies, public safety
23 answering points, and third-party service or infrastructure providers for
24 costs determined to be eligible by the commission under subdivision (5)
25 (c) of this section; and
26 (c) Establish standards and criteria concerning disbursements from
27 the 911 Service System Fund for the planning, implementation,
28 coordination, operation, management, and maintenance of the 911 service
29 system. In establishing such standards and criteria, the following may be
30 eligible for funding:
31 (i) Costs incurred by or on behalf of governing bodies or public
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1 safety answering points to provide 911 service, including, but not
2 limited to, (A) acquisition of new equipment and related maintenance
3 costs and license fees, (B) upgrades and modifications, (C) delivering
4 next-generation 911 core services, and (D) training personnel used to
5 provide 911 services; and
6 (ii) Costs incurred by or on behalf of governing bodies or public
7 safety answering points for the acquisition, installation, maintenance,
8 and operation of telecommunications equipment and telecommunications
9 service required for the provision of 911 service; and .
10 (6) Adopt statewide uniform standards for technical enhancement,
11 support, training, and quality assurance that will allow the 911 service
12 system to communicate, coordinate, and engage with the 988 Suicide and
13 Crisis Lifeline. Such standards shall provide that service users calling
14 the 911 service system can be connected to the 988 Suicide and Crisis
15 Lifeline, and individuals calling the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline can
16 be connected to the 911 service system, when deemed appropriate by the
17 call-center operators. The purpose of such dual capability is to
18 facilitate the provision of appropriate emergency services, including
19 instances requiring counseling services for an individual in
20 psychological distress. The standards shall be completed so that the dual
21 capability to connect individuals between both the 988 Suicide and Crisis
22 Lifeline and the 911 service system is operational no later than January
23 1, 2025.
24 Sec. 3. Section 86-1029.02, Revised Statutes Cumulative Supplement,
25 2022, is amended to read:
26 86-1029.02 Any person involved in the provision of next-generation
27 911 service who: (1) Receives, develops, collects, or processes
28 information for any 911 database; (2) provides local exchange,
29 interexchange, or transport service in connection with any next-
30 generation 911 service; (3) relays, transfers, operates, maintains, or
31 provides next-generation 911 service or systems capabilities, including
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1 interoperable connections between the 911 service system and the 988
2 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline; or (4) provides next-generation 911
3 communications service for emergency service providers shall, except for
4 failure to use reasonable care or for intentional acts, be immune from
5 liability or the payment of damages in the performance of installing,
6 maintaining, or providing next-generation 911 service.
7 Sec. 4. Original sections 86-1025 and 86-1029.02, Revised Statutes
8 Cumulative Supplement, 2022, are repealed.
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Statutes affected: Introduced: 86-1025, 86-1029.02