[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 290 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 290
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to upgrade existing emergency
communications centers in units of the National Park System to Next
Generation 9-1-1 systems, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 29, 2025
Mr. Barrasso (for himself, Mr. King, Mr. Hickenlooper, and Mrs. Hyde-
Smith) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred
to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources-
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to upgrade existing emergency
communications centers in units of the National Park System to Next
Generation 9-1-1 systems, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Making National Parks Safer Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term
``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
(A) the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Natural Resources of the House
of Representatives.
(2) Emergency communications center.--
(A) In general.--The term ``emergency
communications center'' means--
(i) a facility that--
(I) is designated to receive a 9-1-
1 request for emergency assistance; and
(II) performs 1 or more of the
functions described in subparagraph
(B); or
(ii) a public safety answering point (as
defined in section 222 of the Communications
Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 222)).
(B) Functions described.--The functions described
in this subparagraph are the following:
(i) Processing and analyzing 9-1-1 requests
for emergency assistance and information and
data related to the requests.
(ii) Dispatching appropriate emergency
response providers.
(iii) Transferring or exchanging 9-1-1
requests for emergency assistance and
information and data related to the requests
with 1 or more other emergency communications
centers and emergency response providers.
(iv) Analyzing any communications received
from emergency response providers.
(v) Supporting incident command functions.
(3) Interoperability.--The term ``interoperability'' means
the capability of emergency communications centers--
(A) to receive 9-1-1 requests for emergency
assistance and information and data related to the
requests, such as location information and callback
numbers from a person initiating the request; and
(B) to process and share 9-1-1 requests for
emergency assistance and information and data related
to the requests with other emergency communications
centers and emergency response providers without the
need for proprietary interfaces and regardless of
jurisdiction, equipment, device, software, service
provider, or other relevant factors.
(4) Next generation 9-1-1 system.--The term ``Next
Generation 9-1-1 system'' has the meaning given the term ``Next
Generation 911'' in section 9.28 of title 47, Code of Federal
Regulations (or a successor regulation).
(5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior, acting through the Director of the National
Park Service.
SEC. 3. ASSESSMENT OF EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS CENTERS LOCATED IN UNITS
OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM.
(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Secretary shall complete an assessment of emergency
communications centers located in units of the National Park System to
identify--
(1) the implementation status of Next Generation 9-1-1
systems at existing emergency communications centers in units
of the National Park System;
(2) estimated costs to purchase Next Generation 9-1-1
systems for emergency communications centers in units of the
National Park System that have not begun to implement Next
Generation 9-1-1 systems; and
(3) estimated costs to maintain and operate Next Generation
9-1-1 systems across all emergency communications centers in
units of the National Park System.
(b) Report.--On completion of the assessment under subsection (a),
the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress,
and make available on the website of the Department of the Interior, a
report--
(1) describing the results of the assessment; and
(2) identifying issues that may affect the implementation
of Next Generation 9-1-1 systems across all emergency
communications centers in units of the National Park System,
including--
(A) jurisdictional issues;
(B) technological issues;
(C) issues relating to relevant authorities; and
(D) issues relating to legal agreements.
SEC. 4. PLAN TO INSTALL NEXT GENERATION 9-1-1 SYSTEMS IN UNITS OF THE
NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM.
(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date on which the
report under section 3(b) is submitted, the Secretary shall develop a
plan, based on the results of the assessment completed under section
3(a) and subject to subsection (c), to install Next Generation 9-1-1
systems at identified emergency communications centers in units of the
National Park System.
(b) Consultation.--In developing the plan under subsection (a), the
Secretary shall consult with--
(1) State and local emergency operations officials to
ensure interoperability of the Next Generation 9-1-1 systems;
(2) State and local stakeholders that the superintendent of
the applicable unit of the National Park System determines to
be appropriate; and
(3) relevant Federal agencies, including--
(A) the Department of Commerce;
(B) the Department of Transportation; and
(C) the Federal Communications Commission.
(c) Limitation.--Notwithstanding subsection (a), a plan developed
under that subsection shall not be required to address emergency
communications centers in any unit of the National Park System at which
the superintendent of the unit of the National Park System determines
that sufficient Next Generation 9-1-1 systems have already been
installed or are being installed, as applicable.
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