Illinois Lawmakers’ Override Veto, Avoiding Potential 9-1-1 Shutdown
Illinois lawmakers voted this week to override Gov. Bruce Rauner’s veto of legislation to fund 9-1-1 operations across the state.
The House voted 90-22 Saturday, while the Senate voted 43-1 to override the veto. The telecommunications act allowing fees to be collected and distributed for 911 centers expired Friday.
Kane County Emergency Communications and other emergency dispatch and public-safety organizations across the state had said that failure to pass the legislation potentially could have shut down 9-1-1 operations across the state.
The legislation provides revenue to modernize Illinois 9-1-1 systems and transition to Next Generation 9-1-1.
At issue was a surcharge that increased for Chicago from $3.90 to $5. The rest of the state’s 9-1-1 surcharges went up from 87 cents to $1.50. Rauner had argued the the legislation was a bailout for Chicago.
Last week, KaneComm Director Dave Farris asked the Kane County Legislative Committee to support lobbying efforts for the legislation, which also aims to modernize Illinois’ 9-1-1 systems and telecommunications networks.
According to a fact sheet distributed by Farris and others, the legislation “will continue 9-1-1 service and improve it for Illinois citizens by reauthorizing 9-1-1 service, continuing reforms started in 2015 and establishing critical revenue to provide Illinois citizens with cutting edge 9-1-1 systems to better respond to emergency calls.”
About KaneComm
Kane County Emergency Communications (KaneComm) is a multi-jurisdictional dispatch center responsible for the deployment of several police, fire, and medical agencies located within Kane County. KaneComm personnel are tasked with all of the incoming emergency and non-emergency calls for assistance from citizens residing in these jurisdictions.
For more information, visit the KaneComm web page.
