Sponsors (4)
The bill would improve emergency communications and interoperability for National Parks and surrounding communities and create clearer federal leadership and data for prioritization, but it shifts upgrade costs and reporting burdens onto localities and DOI without providing dedicated funding and includes provisions that could create administrative or oversight complications.
Park visitors and nearby communities (including families and recreational users) would get modernized 9-1-1 service with better call routing and more accurate location information, improving emergency response and safety.
State and local emergency responders and 9-1-1 centers gain clearer definitions and interoperability standards (by reference to FCC rules), improving data sharing and coordination across jurisdictions and technologies.
Congress and the Department of the Interior will have public, centralized data plus a one-year implementation plan deadline, enabling prioritization of funding and policymaking for NG9-1-1 upgrades on federal lands.
Small, rural, and some local 9-1-1 centers could face significant technical upgrade costs to meet NG9-1-1 and non‑proprietary interoperability requirements, creating financial strain for local budgets or taxpayers.
The bill requires assessments and identifies needed NG9-1-1 upgrades but provides no dedicated funding, raising community expectations that upgrades may not be funded or delivered promptly.
Tying NG9-1-1 definitions to a current CFR/FCC citation could force future administrative updates or create inconsistencies if FCC rules change, adding legal and compliance friction for implementers.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Requires Interior to assess NG9‑1‑1 readiness and costs for park emergency centers within 1 year and to prepare a plan to install NG9‑1‑1 systems within 1 year after the report.
Official title: Direct the Secretary of the Interior to upgrade existing emergency communications centers in units of the National Park System to Next Generation 9-1-1 systems, and for other purposes.
Introduced January 29, 2025 by John A. Barrasso · Last progress January 29, 2025
Requires the Interior Department (National Park Service) to evaluate and plan upgrades to emergency 9‑1‑1 communications in units of the National Park System. The Secretary must complete an assessment of current Next Generation 9‑1‑1 (NG9‑1‑1) capability, costs to purchase and operate NG9‑1‑1, and implementation barriers within one year, publish a report, and then produce a plan to install NG9‑1‑1 systems at affected park emergency communications centers within one year after the report is submitted. The Secretary must consult state, local, and federal partners when preparing the plan.