The Va. legislature passed a 911 bill (HB-1603) requiring owners/...
The Va. legislature passed a 911 bill (HB-1603) requiring owners/operators of PBXs and other multiline phone systems to provide 911 call centers with exact E-911 location information for each extension phone on their system. The bill sent to Gov.…
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Tim Kaine (D) addresses a chronic problem safety agencies have with calls from multiline phone systems; calls made from extensions display the central switchboard’s location. Under the bill, multiline phone systems would have to provide street address, floor and room number for each extension phone. For multiline systems technically incapable of complying with this requirement, the measure would require posting instructions at each extension phone on how to call 911 and tell a dispatcher the exact location of the phone in use. Systems also would have to be programmed or adapted so calls made by dialing 911 go directly to a 911 answering center. The Assn. of Public Safety Communications Officials lauded the measure, urging Kaine to sign it.