911 system update advances in Pennsylvania

(The Center Square) — Pennsylvania’s 911 surcharge on cell phones went up in 2023, but the General Assembly isn’t done working on the emergency system.

The surcharge has brought in the expected revenue to support 61 call centers statewide, but change is coming.

“We are about to embark on a new 911 system, a dynamic new environment that will contribute to providing for the safety and security of our citizens,” Rep. Jared Solomon, D-Philadelphia, said during a Senate Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee hearing on Tuesday. “To that end, we need to update our outdated legislation by making definitional changes.”

The changes that would be brought by House Bill 1304 would revise the duties and responsibilities for departments, agencies, counties, and service providers statewide.

It would also ensure sensitive information is secure.

“Making sure that the personal information of our citizens is protected — and if it’s not, providing appropriate penalties,” Solomon said.

The committee re-reported the bill as amended, and it awaits further action.

Also discussed was the creation of a second urban search and rescue task force for the western part of the state.

Though the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency argued against the task force’s creation in August, the bill unanimously passed the House in March.

The bill would “ significantly improve our emergency response times in those (western) areas and complement the task force,” Sen. Devlin Robinson, R-Pittsburgh, argued.

The committee approved the bill for its first consideration.