HF 1178

as introduced - 83rd Legislature (2003 - 2004) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

  1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to public safety; directing commissioner of 
  1.3             administration to initiate 911-access cell phones for 
  1.4             seniors program. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  [911-ACCESS CELL PHONES FOR SENIORS.] 
  1.7      (a) The commissioner of administration shall design, 
  1.8   initiate, implement, and coordinate a program to provide senior 
  1.9   citizens with cellular phones that have been reprogrammed or 
  1.10  otherwise altered to allow toll-free access to 911 services.  
  1.11  The commissioner may establish need-based or high-risk criteria 
  1.12  for receiving a 911-access cell phone and may modify the 
  1.13  criteria as necessary to ensure the steady and continuing 
  1.14  distribution of increasing or decreasing supplies of phones.  
  1.15  The commissioner shall ensure that in-place programs for victims 
  1.16  of domestic violence are not adversely impacted by this 
  1.17  initiative.  
  1.18     (b) The commissioner shall endeavor to: 
  1.19     (1) enlist the voluntary assistance of cellular telephone 
  1.20  companies, such as the Motorola Corporation and Verizon Wireless 
  1.21  who provide substantial voluntary participation and assistance 
  1.22  in similar programs for senior citizens or victims of domestic 
  1.23  violence in Minnesota and elsewhere, for assistance or 
  1.24  instruction in erasing, reprogramming, or otherwise altering and 
  1.25  preparing a donated cellular phone for access to 911 emergency 
  2.1   services; 
  2.2      (2) contact and consult with persons involved with the 
  2.3   in-place program to provide donated cellular telephones, which 
  2.4   provide access to 911 emergency services, to victims of domestic 
  2.5   violence from many commercial distribution sites in Minnesota as 
  2.6   listed on the Internet at "free-cell-phones.org" and with the 
  2.7   National Coalition Against Domestic Violence; 
  2.8      (3) consult other public or nonprofit organizations, such 
  2.9   as Baltimore, Howard, and Montgomery counties in Maryland and 
  2.10  the Wireless Foundation, who have initiated or who provide 
  2.11  substantial participative or financial assistance and support 
  2.12  for these programs; and 
  2.13     (4) consult with a representative number of local 
  2.14  governments, law enforcement agencies, public safety answering 
  2.15  points, and senior citizen advocacy groups for information and 
  2.16  assistance. 
  2.17     (c) The program should provide: 
  2.18     (1) for collection and distribution centers throughout 
  2.19  Minnesota; 
  2.20     (2) that only workable phones with workable batteries and 
  2.21  chargers will be accepted; and 
  2.22     (3) that receipts for the phones be issued to donors at 
  2.23  their request. 
  2.24     (d) The legislature deems that the rulemaking provisions of 
  2.25  Minnesota Statutes, chapter 14, are not applicable to the 
  2.26  criteria to be established under paragraph (a), any statutory 
  2.27  provision to the contrary notwithstanding. 
  2.28     (e) The commissioner may report to the legislature any 
  2.29  findings, requests, and recommendations concerning the program.