Senate Bill S4560

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S4560

SPONSOR: MARTINEZ
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the tax law, in relation to the public safety surcharge;
and to repeal certain provisions of such law relating thereto

 
PURPOSE:

The purpose of this bill is to removes the language which requires the
to state move public safety surcharge funds into the state general fund.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1. amends section 325 of the county law by repealing section
5(a).

Section 2. amends section 6 (c) of section 325 of the county law to
provide that one hundred million dollars from the 911 surcharge will be
made available for the monies intended purpose.

              

Section 4. is the enacting clause

 
JUSTIFICATION:

In today's rapidly evolving technological landscape, it is essential for
emergency services to keep up with advancements in communication tech-
nology in order to continue providing critical services to the public.
Unfortunately, New York State's current 911 system, developed decades
ago, is struggling to keep pace with the increasing volume of emergency
calls and the evolving needs of the public. This is due, in part, to the
fact that funds from the dedicated 911 surcharge have been diverted to
the state's general funds, leaving the 911 services severely underfunded
and lacking in modern technology.

The solution to this problem is the implementation of Next Generation
911 (NG911). NG911 is a transformative upgrade to the traditional 911
system that provides enhanced capabilities for emergency call centers to
receive, process, and respond to emergency calls. With the ability to
transmit multimedia such as text, photos, and videos, in addition to
voice calls, NG911 provides emergency responders with a more comprehen-
sive understanding of the situation, allowing them to respond more
effectively.

One of the key benefits of NG911 is that it enables citizens to communi-
cate with emergency services through the method they are most comforta-
ble with, whether it be voice, text, or multimedia. This provides a more
accessible and inclusive experience for the public, especially for indi-
viduals with hearing or speech disabilities who may have difficulties
communicating during an emergency.

NG911 also provides emergency services with a more robust and scalable
infrastructure, allowing them to handle a larger volume of calls and
respond more efficiently to emergencies. With improved location accura-
cy, emergency responders can arrive on the scene faster, reducing
response times and potentially saving lives.


In addition to improving the efficiency and accessibility of the emer-
gency response system, NG911 has the potential to bring significant cost
savings to emergency services. By reducing the need for redundant
infrastructure and minimizing the need for manual processes, NG911 can
help to streamline the emergency response system and reduce costs over
the long term.

In conclusion, by reducing the amount of funds diverted from the state's
dedicated 911 surcharge we can begin the implementation of NG911 which
is an important step towards ensuring that emergency services have the
tools and capabilities they need to respond effectively to emergencies
in the 21st century. With its improved capabilities, NG911 will provide
a safer and more efficient emergency response system for the public and
help to save lives in times of crisis.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

This bill is revenue neutral shift of funds for its intended purpose.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.