The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Pennsylvania Bill HB 712 requires local exchange telecommunications companies to immediately report 911 system outages to the Public Utility Commission
Last action · February 24, 2025: Referred to VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, Feb. 24, 2025Sponsors: Joe Hamm and 12 others
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What This Bill Would Do
Local exchange telecommunications companies experiencing a outage must immediately report it to the commission upon discovery. Failure to comply may result in the company being deemed in violation of character of service and facilities standards. The act takes effect in 60 days.
Telecommunications providers face regulatory penalties for failing to notify state regulators immediately when local emergency dispatch systems experience failures, altering accountability standards during network outages.
- Title 66 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes governs public utilities within the Commonwealth. context
- Section 1501 of Title 66 relates to the character of service and facilities provided by public utilities. context
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Local exchange telecommunications companies
Companies must immediately notify the commission upon discovering any 911 system outage and face potential regulatory violations for noncompliance.
Public Utility Commission
The commission receives immediate outage reports and gains explicit authority to deem noncompliant companies in violation of service standards.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who must report a 911 system outage under this bill?
When must the outage be reported to the commission?
What are the consequences if a company fails to report an outage?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
1 action- Feb 24, 2025HouseCommitteeReferred to VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, Feb. 24, 2025
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Show 8 more sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Mandatory 911 Outage Notification
Establishes a direct statutory duty for local exchange telecommunications companies to report emergency system failures to regulators immediately.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.palegis.us
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance60How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy15Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz25Current news / social attention level
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