Legislature Considers Change to ‘Warm Line” Law

The California state legislature is considering a bill that would allow telephone companies to no longer maintain active connections to unsubscribed residential phone connections, so-called “warm lines.” The bill is opposed by the state’s chapter of the National Emergency Number Association (NENA), who says it could cut off 911 access to those homeowners who can’t afford to pay for telephone service. Right now, phone companies are required to provide 911 service to every residential service, whether or not an account is established at the residence. According to phone companies, there are 2 million of these lines, and they generate thousands of false 911 calls because the physical lines aren’t being maintained by the property owner. The state’s Public Utilities Commission estimates that just three percent of the 911 calls from warm lines are actual emergency calls. The legislation is intended to help eliminate the false calls, but has a side effect, CAL-NENA points out. In an e-mail to member, the groups says 911 service should be provided to “all California citizens.” Download (pdf) the bill and the group’s talking points here. Update: The state Senate passed the bill June 1, 2010 and the bill now moves to the Assembly for consideration.