HB537: establishing a 211 commission.

HB 537 - AS INTRODUCED

2003 SESSION

03-0891

05/10

HOUSE BILL 537

AN ACT establishing a 211 commission.

SPONSORS: Rep. Hager, Merr 40; Rep. S. L'Heureux, Merr 37; Sen. Below, Dist 5

COMMITTEE: Science, Technology and Energy

ANALYSIS

This bill establishes a statutory 211 commission to oversee implementation of a 211 system that provides information and referral services to people in need of assistance.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

03-0891

05/10

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Three

AN ACT establishing a 211 commission.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 New Chapter; 211 Commission. Amend RSA by inserting after chapter 161-I the following new chapter:

CHAPTER 161-J

211 COMMISSION

161-J:1 Commission Established. There is hereby established a 211 commission to oversee the implementation and administration of a 211 system that provides information and referral services to people in need of assistance.

161-J:2 Commission Members.

I. The commission shall consist of the following members:

(a) A member of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

(b) A member of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate.

(c) The executive director of the bureau of emergency communications, or designee.

(d) The consumer advocate, or designee.

(e) The commissioner of the department of health and human services, or designee.

(f) A representative of the public utilities commission, appointed by the chairman of the public utilities commission.

(g) A representative of the United Way, appointed by that organization.

(h) Five members appointed by the governor:

(1) One member representing incumbent local exchange carriers.

(2) One member representing statewide information and referral services.

(3) One member representing local information and referral services.

(4) One member representing specialized information and referral services.

(5) One member representing the commercial mobile radio service industry.

II. Members of the commission shall serve 3-year terms, except that legislative members shall serve a term coterminous with their term in office. In the event of a vacancy, a replacement shall be appointed for the remaining term.

III. Members of the commission shall serve without compensation, except that legislative members of the commission shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the commission.

IV. Members shall elect from among themselves a person to serve as commission chairperson and another to serve as commission vice-chairperson.

161-J:3 Structure of 211 System. The commission shall oversee the development and implementation of a 211 system structured in the following manner:

I. Except as provided in paragraph II, local exchange carriers shall route 211 calls directly to local information and referral providers.

II. Local exchange carriers shall route 211 calls to a statewide information and referral provider if the calls are:

(a) From areas not served by local information and referral providers.

(b) Received after regular business hours for the local information and referral provider.

(c) Unanswered for 6 rings by a local information and referral provider.

(d) From commercial mobile radio services, as defined in 47 C.F.R. 20.3, and the origin of the call cannot be determined in a cost effective manner.

161-J:4 Commission Duties. The 211 commission shall:

I. Oversee and administer the 211 system described in RSA 161-J:3.

II. Oversee budget and financial projections for the 211 system including:

(a) The system's cost effectiveness.

(b) Start-up costs.

(c) Maintenance, support, and update costs.

(d) Identification of funding sources.

(e) Use and allocation of moneys.

III. Respond to any future developments that arise as the system develops, including the economic and technological feasibility of routing commercial mobile radio service calls based on their origin.

IV. Delineate and modify as necessary over time the service territories of the information and referral providers to which 211 calls shall be directly routed.

V. Establish certification standards for information and referral providers that participate in the 211 system.

VI. Develop a standardized, statewide database of available resources that is accessible via the Internet to information and referral providers and the public.

161-J:5 Rulemaking Authority. The commission shall adopt rules, pursuant to RSA 541-A, relative to:

I. Procedures for monitoring implementation of the 211 system.

II. Procedures for collecting and updating the statewide database of resources.

III. Procedures for collaboration between service providers and state agencies.

IV. Procedures for soliciting and responding to consumer input and direction.

V. The development of certification, qualification, and training standards for information and referral providers.

161-J:6 Report. No later than December 1, 2003, and annually thereafter, the commission shall file a report of its activities, findings, and recommendations with the speaker of the house of representatives, the house clerk, the senate president, the senate clerk, the governor, and the state library.

2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.