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Senate adopts bill requiring emergency alerts be provided in at least two languages
Summary
Senate Bill 31, amended to require emergency alerts be made available in at least two languages and to avoid new state costs, was adopted. The sponsor and committee described changes that narrow the bill’s scope and leave flexibility to 9-1-1 agencies on compliance methods.
Senate Bill 31, which requires certain government assistance and services related to wireless communication to ensure emergency alerts are made available in at least two languages in communities where that is appropriate, was adopted by the Senate after committee and floor amendments on March 18, 2025.
Senator Roberts, sponsor: “This is another bill from this cell phone... active shooter, or a variety of other emergency alerts that go out from our local authorities are made accessible in 2 languages,” the sponsor said on the floor, noting that the committee adopted a strike-below amendment to narrow the bill’s focus.
Business, Labor and Technology committee work and a floor amendment (L7) narrowed the bill to focus on language access for emergency alerts and removed provisions that would have required state appropriations. The L7 amendment also added flexibility for 9-1-1 agencies on how to comply, according to the sponsor, and included a tweak requested by the Department of Public Safety. Committee and floor sponsors said the bill as amended requires no appropriation.
After adoption of the committee report and amendment L7, Senate Bill 31 was adopted on the floor. The transcript records that “31 is adopted.”
Ending: The Senate proceeded to the next calendar items following the adoption of SB 31.
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