LINCOLN- Multiple outages of 911 systems in Nebraska from cut lines and power failures prompt new legislation demanding faster deployment of next-generation upgrades and clearer accountability when service providers fall short. Legislative Bills 1255 and 1256, offered by State Sens. John Fredrickson and Wendy DeBoer, both of Omaha, would accomplish both of those tasks.

LB1255 would accelerate the years-long transitioning of Nebraska to next-generation 911. LB1256 would require 911 outages to be reported to the Nebraska Public Service Commission and require a public hearing after major outages that explores the reasons behind troubles with a backbone of the state’s emergency response systems.

Fredrickson’s bill would clarify that the PSC has regulatory authority over 911, new and old. It would set a six-month goal and a one-year deadline to finish the transition to data-rich 911, requiring companies to notify the state of any delays. DeBoer’s bill would define a 911 outage as a “significant degradation in the ability of an end user to establish and maintain a channel of communications services as a result of failure or degradation in the performance” of a service network.

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