TITLE 39

Public Utilities and Carriers

CHAPTER 39-21.1

911 Emergency Telephone Number Act

SECTION 39-21.1-5



   § 39-21.1-5  Establishment of 9-1-1

service. –

(a) The state shall establish a single central statewide emergency 911 system

equipped with selective call routing, automatic number identification, and

automatic location identification. All telecommunication service providers who

operate within this state shall provide access to the E 9-1-1 Uniform Emergency

Telephone System with selective call routing, automatic number identification

and automatic location identification capabilities in accordance with this

chapter, with the rules and regulations of the Federal Communications

Commission and of the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission and with such

other rules and regulations promulgated by the 9-1-1 authority. Before the

Public Utilities Commission shall grant any license, permit, power, or

authority to operate or shall approve any tariff, rate, or similar compensation

measure to any telephone common carrier or telecommunication services provider

pursuant to title 39 of the general laws, it shall obtain a certificate of

compliance from the 911 authority, certifying that the telephone common carrier

or telecommunication services provider that is seeking such grant or approval

is in compliance with the standards of quality of service, performance of

service and technological compliance adopted by the 911 authority pursuant to

chapter 21 of title 39 of the general laws. No such license, permit, power, or

authority to operate shall be granted or any tariff, rate, or similar

compensation measure be approved until and unless the telephone common carrier

or telecommunication service provider is in full compliance with such standards.



   (b) The digits "911" shall be the primary emergency telephone

number within the state.



   (c) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prohibit or

discourage the municipalities to maintain separate secondary backup telephone

numbers for emergency and nonemergency telephone calls. Dissemination of the

information contained in the data base for any other than emergency purpose is

prohibited. The 911 emergency telephone number is not intended as a total

replacement for the telephone service of the public safety agencies. The public

safety answering point will not use the 911 system for administrative purposes,

for placing outgoing calls, or for receiving nonemergency calls.



   (d) Any addition to the basic 911 system that may be required

by any municipality may be made at the municipality's expense, provided that

the addition is approved by the 911 authority.



   (e)(1) The 911 authority and the telephone common carrier

contracting with the authority shall not be liable for any inadequate data base

information submitted to the 911 authority by the municipality, its agents or

servants.



   (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of chapter 31 of title 9,

the telephone common carrier, its agents and employees, is hereby indemnified

and held harmless by the 911 authority and the state for civil damages for any

action or omission in connection with the 911 or E-911 systems unless the

action or omission constitutes gross negligence or wanton and willful

misconduct.



   (f) Any expense incurred by a municipality shall not be

deemed a state mandate pursuant to § 45-13-9.



   (g) The telephone common carrier shall not issue or permit

the usage of any three (3) digit telephone number for emergency purposes other

than the digits "911" as provided in this chapter.



   (h) The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, the

E 9-1-1 Uniform Emergency Telephone System Authority, local public service

answering points, E 9-1-1 service providers, including telephone common

carriers and telecommunication services providers and their respective

employees, directors, officers, representatives or agents shall not be liable

to any person for civil damages resulting from or caused by any act or omission

in the development, design, installation, operation, maintenance, performance

or provision of E 9-1-1 service, except to the extent due directly to its

willful misconduct or gross negligence. Also, no provider of E 9-1-1 service,

including a telecommunication services provider shall be liable to any person

who uses E 9-1-1 service, for the release of subscriber information, including

but not limited to, billing information required under this act, to any public

safety answering point or to the state of Rhode Island or the E 9-1-1 Uniform

Emergency Telephone System Authority.



History of Section.

(P.L. 1986, ch. 152, § 1; P.L. 1987, ch. 236, § 1; P.L. 1992, ch.

133, art. 65, § 2; P.L. 1995, ch. 143, § 1; P.L. 1997, ch. 123,

§ 1.)