Report Title:
Appropriation; Non-Emergency Reporting System
Description:
Appropriates funds to the Honolulu police department for the development costs of a 3-1-1 non-emergency reporting system. (SD2)
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
637 |
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TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2005 |
S.D. 2 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
Making an APPROPRIATION for development of a NON-EMERGENCY REPORTING SYSTEM, known as 3-1-1.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The Honolulu police department operates the 9-1-1 emergency phone system for Oahu, which handles over a million calls annually, including calls for police, ambulance, and fire. The 9-1-1 system handles all calls for emergency services, as well as non-emergency calls (estimated at sixty-five to seventy-five per cent of all 9-1-1 calls). Examples of non-emergency calls received by the 9-1-1 system include abandoned vehicles, noise, and animal complaints.
The legislature finds that non-emergency calls to the 9-1-1 system challenge the limited resources of the Honolulu police department's communications division causing staffing shortages and equipment failures. Additionally, the volume of calls to the 9-1-1 system is expected to rise with the increase in the island's population and the growing prevalence of cellular phones.
Non-emergency calls frequently overwhelm available 9-1-1 operators, resulting in a backlog of emergency 9-1-1 calls awaiting dispatch to the appropriate emergency personnel.
The Honolulu police department is currently developing a non-emergency reporting system, known as 3-1-1, to relieve the 9-1-1 system of non-emergency phone calls. The legislature further finds that a 3-1-1 reporting system is necessary to protect the public health, safety, and welfare.
The purpose of this Act is to provide a grant-in-aid to the Honolulu police department to develop a non-emergency 3-1-1 reporting system.
SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2005-2006, for a grant-in-aid to the city and county of Honolulu for the benefit of the Honolulu police department for the development of a non-emergency reporting system, known as 3-1-1, which shall include:
(1) A 3-1-1 call section to receive non-emergency phone requests for assistance;
(2) A Honolulu police department web site to provide an on-line form to be filled out by the public;
(3) District station police personnel to handle phone-in and walk-in requests for non-emergency services;
(4) Improved 9-1-1 and 3-1-1 information in telephone directories to instruct the public on making emergency and non-emergency telephone calls to the Honolulu police department; and
(5) An educational program on 3-1-1 non-emergency reporting.
SECTION 3. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the city and county of Honolulu for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2005.