HB414 Alabama 2022 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Ed OliverRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2022

Title

Boards and commissions, state 911 Board, certification of public safety telecommunications, duties of telecommicators further provided, reasonable alternative method for responding to emergency calls, further provided, Sec. 11-98-11 am'd.

Summary

HB414 creates a statewide 911 Board to certify public safety telecommunicators, requires certification to perform telecommunicator duties, and requires districts to provide backup methods for emergency call responses.

What This Bill Does

The bill authorizes a statewide 911 Board to establish and run a certification program for public safety telecommunicators, including minimum training and annual continuing education. Beginning on the act’s effective date, telecommunicator duties at PSAPs require certification, with a 180-day enrollment period for new hires and grandfathering for those already employed before 6/30/2022. It also requires PSAP operators to stay on calls until connected to the appropriate emergency provider and requires districts to implement a primary emergency-call response method plus reasonable backup methods. The Board is charged with administering the 911 Fund, setting funding rules, and overseeing deployment of a statewide 911 voice and data system.

Who It Affects

• Public safety telecommunicators and PSAP staff who handle 911 calls will need to obtain certification, complete minimum training, and maintain ongoing education; those already employed before 6/30/2022 are exempt from coursework, and new hires have 180 days to enroll (with the option to work during enrollment).
• Public safety answering points (PSAPs), communications districts, and emergency service providers must implement a primary 911 response method and at least one reasonable backup method, ensure the PSAP operator stays on the call until connected to the appropriate emergency provider, and operate within the statewide 911 funding and governance framework.

Key Provisions

• Creates the statewide 911 Board (13 members) to certify telecommunicators, publish a 911 Annual Report, administer the 911 Fund and statewide 911 charge, distribute funds, and establish policies for grants, training, and penalties.
• Establishes a certification program for public safety telecommunicators, including minimum training hours, submission of completion certificates, annual continuing education, and board rules; prohibits performing telecommunicator duties without certification beginning on the act's effective date; establishes grandfathering for those employed as of 6/30/2022 and a 180-day enrollment window for new hires.
• Adds requirements for emergency-call response: districts must designate a primary response method (direct dispatch, relay, transfer, or referral) and provide reasonable alternative methods for backup, with PSAP operators required to remain on the call until connected to the appropriate emergency provider.
• Transfers oversight and funding responsibilities from the CMRS Board to the new statewide 911 Board, including administration of the 911 Fund and the statewide 911 charge, and authorizes board adoption of rules under the Administrative Procedure Act to implement the chapter and deploy a statewide 911 voice and data system.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Public Safety