Calvert to hold hearing on 911 dial-out law compliance

It took a tragedy over a decade ago to expose a dangerous flaw in multiple-line phone systems that require an additional access digit to reach an outside line, like those in some hotels. At the time, callers found attempts to reach 911 met with no success.

In 2018 Congress enacted Kari’s Law, named in memory of Kari Hunt, who was murdered by her estranged husband in a Texas motel room in 2013. Hunt’s oldest daughter dialed 911 four times but couldn’t get through because the hotel’s phone system required the dialing of an extra digit to connect to an outside line.

The measure, which requires any multiple-line phone system to have the ability to directly call out when 911 is dialed, became law in 2018 and is part of Maryland’s public safety article.

Stanley Harris, Calvert County government’s emergency communications chief, told the county commissioners on Feb. 27 that just having the measure in the annotated code isn’t enough to assure compliance.

“There’s no teeth,” Harris said, adding there is currently no penalty for not having multiple-line telephone systems connect directly to a public safety answering point without necessitating the user to dial supplementary numbers.

Amending Calvert’s code of ordinances to incorporate the state’s public safety article would include designating the local public safety department as the “enforcing authority” for Kari’s Law locally.

“The department of public safety aims to establish penalties for no compliance,” Harris said in a memo to the commissioners.

The measures proposed by Harris would require the commissioners to conduct a public hearing in order to make them part of Calvert’s code.

Harris said the plan calls for the county to levy a $100 fine if a local business — like a hotel or any entity with a multiple-line telephone system — doesn’t provide immediate 911 dial-out. Any subsequent offense would result in a $200 fine.

Harris said the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office does “random inspections” for the county, which could identify those who are not complying.

“Maybe we can work with economic development [department], maybe we could do some outreach,” Commissioner President Earl F. “Buddy” Hance (R) said.

Harris said his division would be working with county government’s communications and media relations to urge local entities with multiple-line phone systems to take the needed steps now.

The commissioners’ vote to move the issue to a public hearing was unanimous.