Next Generation 9–1–1 Act

Key Points

• This bill creates a grant program to help states and tribes upgrade their 9-1-1 systems to 'Next Generation' technology. This means emergency centers will be able to receive not just phone calls, but also texts, photos, and videos from people in distress.
• To receive the funding, states must prove they are using their local 9-1-1 fees correctly and not spending that money on unrelated government projects. They must also create a plan to ensure their systems are reliable and can work seamlessly with neighboring areas.
• The policy establishes a new national cybersecurity center specifically for 9-1-1 systems. This center will help local governments protect their emergency networks from hackers and share information about digital threats.
• A new advisory board will be formed with 16 members, including police officers, firefighters, and paramedics. This group will provide expert advice on how to best set up these new systems in both big cities and rural towns.
• The bill requires that any new technology used must follow open standards, meaning different brands of equipment can work together. This is intended to prevent emergency centers from getting locked into expensive contracts with a single company.