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Rep. Hoitenga proposal makes practical changes to 9-1-1 emergency mandates
RELEASE|June 26, 2019

Signed law exempts certain entities from expensive phone system updates

A plan from state Rep. Michele Hoitenga removing burdensome regulations for job providers has been signed by the governor.

House Bill 4249, now Public Act 30 of 2019, addresses multiline telephone systems and eases previous upgrades mandated by the Michigan Public Service Commission. The upgraded networks consist of multiple telephone lines that are mediated by a centralized system that not only allows multiple telephones to place and receive calls at one time, but also allows emergency services to track the room or floor that the emergency call came from- an advantage that is largely irrelevant for many facilities and small businesses.

“It’s very important to have the best technology possible in place wherever we can for our brave first responders so they can effectively respond to emergencies, but we also need a solidified middle ground to ensure local job providers and other facilities that help make up our communities are not hurt by overregulation,” said Hoitenga, of Manton, who chairs the House Communications and Technology Committee. “There was no delineation in these requirements. It was a uniform mandate with an expensive tab for those upgrading systems. This is a more practical, case-by-case approach that doesn’t simply wrap businesses in our state – whether they are large and small – up in red tape.”

Businesses and entities were facing a Dec. 31 deadline to update their systems based on suggestions by the Michigan Public Services Commission. Failing to upgrade would have resulted in fines ranging from $500-5,000. Hoitenga’s plan provides some common-sense flexibility rather than relying on an ineffective, one-size-fits-all approach to regulation. Certain small businesses, farms, and houses of worship are exempted from the requirement in the new law.

The National Federation of Independent Business has estimated that installation and maintenance costs for the updated systems would be steep for an average small business. The Archdiocese of Detroit has said that initial compliance costs could be as high as $2 million for its facilities, including one location that was quoted at $22,000. Estimates for system upgrades for some small businesses have been placed as high as $10,000.

The plan was previously approved in overwhelming fashion in the Michigan House and unanimously in the Senate before reaching the governor’s desk.

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