Sponsors (4)
The bill clarifies authority and pushes National Park and local 9‑1‑1 systems toward modern, interoperable NG9‑1‑1 capabilities—improving emergency response and cross‑jurisdiction coordination—but does so at a potentially high fiscal and technical cost that could burden small/rural centers and create uneven coverage if definitions, exemptions, or regulatory ties exclude or delay upgrades.
Visitors, staff, and users of National Park units (including rural communities) would get faster, more reliable emergency response and richer location/callback data as parks adopt NG9‑1‑1 capabilities.
State and local emergency operations would gain more interoperable 9‑1‑1 systems and clearer technical standards, improving coordination during rescues, disasters, and multi-jurisdiction incidents.
An assessment and report will give local/state agencies, park managers, and Congress actionable information on technical and jurisdictional barriers and costs, enabling targeted funding or legislative fixes within a year.
Federal, state, and local taxpayers (and potentially park operating budgets) could face substantial new costs to install, operate, and maintain NG9‑1‑1 systems and related equipment.
Small, rural, and underfunded emergency call centers may face significant technical and administrative burdens to meet interoperability and non‑proprietary interface requirements, risking unequal readiness.
Narrow, enumerated definitions of eligible 9‑1‑1 functions could exclude some existing call‑handling facilities, risking loss of eligibility for programs tied to the Act and leaving some communities disadvantaged.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Requires Interior to assess NG9‑1‑1 readiness in National Park emergency communications centers within 1 year and to develop an NG9‑1‑1 installation plan within a year after the report.
Introduced January 29, 2025 by John A. Barrasso · Last progress January 29, 2025
Requires the Interior Department (through the NPS Director) to assess whether emergency communications centers in National Park units have implemented Next Generation 9‑1‑1 (NG9‑1‑1), estimate costs to acquire and operate NG9‑1‑1 where needed, and report those findings to Congress within 1 year. Within one year after that report, the Secretary must develop a plan—after consulting state, local, and federal partners—to install NG9‑1‑1 systems at identified park emergency communications centers, excluding centers a superintendent determines are already having sufficient NG9‑1‑1 installed.