What's happening
This bill requires telecommunications companies leasing land from municipalities to ensure emergency 911 voice service coverage.
Why it matters
Mandates robust emergency 911 access. The bill specifically requires that any telecommunications company leasing land from a municipality must ensure its network provides reliable emergency 911 voice service, meaning no dropped calls or coverage gaps—potentially improving emergency response outcomes.
Expands definition of "voice service". By including not only traditional phone calls but also internet-based voice services (such as VoIP) and fax transmissions, the bill aims to close loopholes and ensure all forms of voice communication can reach emergency services.
Increases municipal leverage in telecommunications contracts. Municipalities gain a clear legal basis to demand 911 coverage as part of lease agreements, which could pressure telecom companies to invest in network upgrades or infrastructure improvements in underserved areas.
Impacts rural and hard-to-reach areas. This legislation could be particularly significant for rural or less densely populated areas, where telecommunications coverage is often spotty, by making 911 accessibility a legal requirement tied to land lease agreements.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Require 911 on Telecom Contracts
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Enacting clause stricken
- Referred to local governments
- Referred to local governments
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
447
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
Introduced by M. of A. STECK -- read once and referred to the Committee on Local Governments
AN ACT to amend the general municipal law, in relation to certain requirements for telecommunications system contracts
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The general municipal law is amended by adding a new section 109-e to read as follows:
§ 109-e. Telecommunications system requirements. 1. For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(a) "Coverage" shall mean that there are no dropped calls due to lack of cellular service or there are no areas where cellular service is compromised and/or unavailable.
(b) "Telecommunications system" shall mean all facilities owned, operated or used by a telecommunications systems company to provide services located within the boundaries of the state, authority or municipality.
(c) "Voice service" shall mean any service that is interconnected with the public switched telephone network and that furnishes voice communications to an end user using resources from the North American Numbering Plan or any successor to the North American Numbering Plan adopted by the public service commission under section 251(e)(1) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 251(e)(1)); and includes:
(i) transmissions from a telephone facsimile machine, computer, or other device to a telephone facsimile machine; and
(ii) without limitation, any service that enables real-time, two-way voice communications, including any service that requires internet protocol-compatible customer premises equipment and permits out-bound calling, whether or not the service is one-way or two-way voice over internet protocol.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00417-01-5
2. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, where a land lease agreement between a telecommunications systems company and municipality provides for the operation of a telecommunications system, such telecommunications systems company's voice service shall provide coverage of emergency 911.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.