Committee hears testimony on bill to limit repeat nuisance 911 calls; prosecutors and defense bar warn of consequences

Representative David Clifford opened the House Judiciary Committee discussion on Senate Bill 60 by describing repeated misuse of 911 centers as a growing operational problem for public safety answering points and emergency responders.

Clifford said the bill would create a criminal subsection for repeated, nonemergency contact with public safety answering points and include legislative intent language instructing courts that blocking a defendant's access to the 911 system may be appropriate when continued calls create a public-safety risk. He and co-sponsor Rep. Rob Carter described the proposal as a tool for law enforcement and courts to address chronic misuse while allowing officers discretion to refer people for services rather than automatically arresting them.

Front-line dispatchers and regional communications directors told the committee the problem can be severe. Tina Buenetta, Aurora's 9-1-1 director, gave a specific account of…