Sponsors (4)
The bill accelerates and clarifies modernization and coordination of NG9‑1‑1 for National Parks—improving emergency response and interoperability—but it shifts real upgrade and reporting costs onto local/rural centers, park budgets, and taxpayers and introduces governance and administrative risks without guaranteed funding or broad congressional oversight.
Visitors, nearby residents, and emergency responders in National Parks will see more reliable, modern NG9‑1‑1 service (better call routing, location accuracy, and faster multi‑jurisdiction response).
Local, state, and federal agencies and emergency communications centers gain clearer roles, a designated DOI/NPS lead, centralized data, and a 1‑year implementation deadline — improving accountability, planning, and eligibility for federal programs.
Emergency communications infrastructure is pushed toward common, FCC‑aligned interoperability and NG9‑1‑1 technical standards, promoting data sharing and compatibility across jurisdictions and systems.
Small and rural emergency communications centers, park operations, and taxpayers could face significant costs: technical upgrades to meet interoperability/non‑proprietary standards and DOI assessment/reporting burdens come with little or no direct funding.
Implementation and service consistency risks: superintendent discretion to exclude centers, required multi‑party consultations, and producing assessments without funding could produce uneven coverage and delay upgrades, leaving some communities waiting for promised improvements.
Administrative friction: tying statutory language to current CFR/FCC citations risks requiring future conforming amendments or updates if FCC rules change, creating extra administrative work for implementers.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Requires Interior to assess NG9‑1‑1 readiness in National Park emergency centers and create a plan to install NG9‑1‑1 systems based on that assessment.
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 to inventory emergency communications centers in National Park System units to determine current Next Generation 9‑1‑1 (NG9‑1‑1) implementation, estimate upgrade and operating costs, and identify obstacles. Within a year after that inventory report, the Department must produce a plan to install NG9‑1‑1 systems at park emergency communications centers, coordinating with state, local, and federal partners.