Telecommunications: automatic dialing-announcing devices: emergency alert notifications.

Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory authority over public utilities, including telephone corporations. Existing law authorizes the commission to control and regulate the use of automatic dialing-announcing devices. Existing law prohibits a person from operating an automatic dialing-announcing device except as specified. Existing law expressly provides that the use of automatic dialing-announcing devices by law enforcement agencies, fire protection agencies, public health agencies, public environmental health agencies, city or county emergency services planning agencies, or any private for-profit agency operating under contract with, and at the direction of, one or more of these agencies, for specified purposes relating to public safety and emergencies is not prohibited. This bill would expressly provide that the use of automatic dialing-announcing devices by those entities to test all modes of 911 emergency telephone systems, including basic 911 telephone services, enhanced 911 emergency telephone services, Next Generation 911 emergency communication systems, and similar 911 technologies, for data accuracy and emergency alert notification system capabilities is also not prohibited.