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Committee pauses bill expanding state payments for 911 dispatch operations after fiscal questions
Summary
Lawmakers advanced an amendment to HB 116 that would shift more personnel costs for public safety answering points to the state, but then voted to hold the bill pending an updated fiscal note after witnesses estimated the change could add about $7 million in ongoing costs.
Representative Zachary Watkins brought HB 116, a bill about public safety answering points (PSAPs), and a sponsor amendment that would expand the state's role in paying dispatcher-related costs.
The bill and the amendment would increase the Department of Public Safety's share of PSAP personnel costs. "For those of you that don't know what an answering point is, that's what it is is our, dispatch centers," Representative Watkins told the committee, adding that the sponsor amendment "kinda changes the whole bill."
Mayor Michael Coriannis of Price told the panel small, rural cities are struggling to match higher dispatcher pay that the state now funds at least in part. "When those employees are getting raises, it impacts our city, officers," he said. He described…
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