Section 3. Telecommunications management.
(a) Powers and duties of agency.--The agency shall have the following powers and duties:
(1) To adopt rules and regulations pursuant to this act:
Provided, That the agency shall have the power and authority
to promulgate, adopt, publish and use guidelines for the
implementation of this act. Guidelines and rules and
regulations proposed under the authority of this section
shall be subject to review by the General Counsel and the
Attorney General in the manner provided for the review of
proposed rules and regulations pursuant to the act of October
15, 1980 (P.L.950, No.164), known as the Commonwealth
Attorneys Act, and the act of June 25, 1982 (P.L.633,
No.181), known as the Regulatory Review Act.
(2) To establish guidelines and application procedures
for the establishment of contribution rates.
(3) To receive, review and approve or disapprove all 911
system county plans.
(4) To forward a copy of each county plan application to
the council and the commission for their review as required
by this act.
(5) To submit an annual report, not later than March 1
of each year, to the Governor and the General Assembly and
include at least the following:
(i) The extent to which 911 systems currently exist
in Pennsylvania.
(ii) Those counties which completed installation,
and costs and expenses for installation.
(iii) An anticipated schedule for installing a 911
system on a county basis for that year.
(6) To establish minimum training and certification
standards for emergency dispatchers, call takers and
supervisors.
(7) To establish technical standards for all county
plans.
(8) To establish standards for performance review and
quality assurance programs for 911 systems to ensure public
safety and improve the performance of 911 systems.
(9) To establish standards for accuracy of 911 database
systems.
(10) To establish a program of communication between the
agency and county 911 coordinators for the purpose of sharing
information between counties and to develop recommendations
to improve 911 systems throughout this Commonwealth.
(11) To prescribe, in cooperation with the council and
the commission, such applications and forms as may be
necessary to carry out the provisions of this act.
(12) To take all actions necessary to implement,
administer and enforce the provisions of this act.
(b) Powers and duties of the council.--The council shall have the following powers and duties:
(1) To review all county plans, including the initial
application forwarded by the agency for conformity to the
minimum standards.
(2) To review county plans to determine if equipment
conforms to the technical standards.
(3) To recommend approval of plans or indicate
deficiencies in plans to the agency.
(c) Powers and duties of the commission.--The commission shall have the following powers and duties:
(1) Review the contribution rate requested by the county
based on the costs of the plan.
(2) Approve or modify the contribution rate requested by
the county and forward its decision to the agency.
(d) Exemption.--The Pennsylvania State Police telecommunications facilities are exempt from the telecommunications management of the agency, council and the commission. ((d) added Dec. 30, 2003, P.L.384, No.56)
(3 amended Feb. 12, 1998, P.L.64, No.17)