What is the Impact of Kari's Law and RAY BAUM's Act on Your Business?
February 27th, 2020 by William Wentowski
Two new federal laws, effective February 16, 2020, impact any business or entity that uses a multi-line telephone system (MLTS): Kari's Law and RAY BAUM's Act
- (1) Kari's Law applies to multi-line telephone systems (MLTS), which are telephone systems often used byoffice buildings, campuses, and hotels. Kari's Law requires MLTS that are manufactured, imported, offered for first sale or lease, first sold or leased, or installed after February 16, 2020 to enable users to dial 911 directly, without having to dial a prefix to reach an outside line, and to provide for notification (e.g., to a front desk or security office) when a 911 call is made.
- (2) RAY BAUM'S Act requires the Commission to consider adopting rules to ensure that a “dispatchable location” is conveyed with 911 calls, regardless of the technological platform used, so that 911 call centers will receive the caller's location automatically and can dispatch responders more quickly. “Dispatchable location” is “the street address of the calling party, and additional information such as room number, floor number, or similar information necessary to adequately identify the location of the calling party.”
FCC Fact Sheet
Businesses are required to take steps to ensure their phone systems meet the new guidelines; penalties for non-compliance include a $10,000 fine and an additional $500/day until it is fixed.
Is your phone system creating a liability exposure for your business? Contact BTS to schedule a review to ensure you are acting in accordance with the new laws.
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