IPitomy’s Guide to E911 Regulations
Kari's Law
Driven largely by the efforts of Kari Dunn’s father following the murder of his
daughter, Kari’s Law was signed into law on February 16, 2018.
What Are the Kari’s Law Requirements?
Kari’s Law applies to multi-line telephone systems (“MLTS”) “manufactured,
imported, offered for first sale or lease, first sold or leased, or installed” after the
compliance date of February 16, 2020. It requires:
REQUIRING A“PREFIX” WHEN CALLING 911 IS PROHIBITED
Locations with MLTS must remove any requirement that a caller dial “9”, “8”, or any
other number to reach an outside line to make a call to 911. With IPitomy, dialing a prefix is never a
requirement.
ON-SITE NOTIFICATIONS
When a 911 call is placed from an MLTS, a notification must be sent to on-site
personnel, alerting them to the emergency. The notifications to the appropriate
contact can take the form of phone calls, visual alerts on a monitor, audible alarms,
text messages, and/or emails. IPitomy has all of these options included at no charge for systems
purchased after 9/26/2019 who utilize IPitomy SIP trunking.
Section 506 of RAY BAUM’s Act
RAY BAUM’s Act was passed into law on March 23, 2018. Section 506 requires the FCC to conclude a proceeding
by September 23, 2019 that considers rules to ensure that MLTS systems convey dispatchable address
(defined as: “the street address of the calling party, and additional information such as room number, or
similar information necessary to adequately identify the location of the calling party”) to public safety with a
911 call. On August 2, 2019 the FCC released its Report and Order that adopted such rules and concluded its
proceeding as directed by Section 506.
What Does Section 506 of RAY BAUM’s Act Cover?
Pursuant to rulemaking by the FCC, Section 506 of RAY BAUM’s Act requires that organizations with MLTS
provide dispatchable location, i.e., street address, floor, room and/or suite number (if applicable) to public
safety with 911 calls. Every IPitomy DID can be assigned an E911 dispatchable location.
Key Takeaways:
• Managing 911 requires full understanding of legal and regulatory risks.
Potential exposures occur when enterprises:
• Fail to adequately plan for remote workers, satellite campuses, etc.
• Fail to provide dispatchable location information at the time of a 911 call
• Don’t alert security teams and other key personnel that a 911 call has been made
• Intercept 911 calls before sending directly to public safety
• Replace PRI or dedicated circuits and move to the cloud
• With the passage of the two important pieces of legislation, the FCC is
rapidly moving toward establishing uniform federal standards for precise
“dispatchable location” as well as internal notification of on-site teams to
assist in response.
On February 16, 2020, enterprises must be compliant with Kari’s Law.
• Applies to MLTS systems “manufactured, imported, offered for first
sale or lease, first sold or leased, or installed” after the compliance date
• Be aware that enterprises that may not be legally mandated to
support these requirements on February 16, 2020 may still be at risk
from litigation and negative media attention if users’ expectations
are not met
Are you ready for Kari’s Law and Section 506 of RAY BAUM’s Act?
Key Questions for end users:
• Have you consulted with legal representation regarding your compliance?
• Can end users direct dial 911 without the need to dial an access code i.e.,
“*” or “9”press a button for an outside line?
• Have you mapped user endpoint locations including address, building,
floor and/or room?
• Have you tested 911 in your enterprise
• Do you have a plan for virtual workers and satellite offices?
• Are notifications set up to notify key personnel in the event there’s
an emergency?
Don’t go it alone
Complicated regulations can seem overwhelming, but IPitomy can help.
Our reliable 911 call routing and location management solutions, team of
experts, and white-glove support can help you navigate these complex
requirements while also helping to ensure your employees, guests, and
customers are protected.
Who’s Affected by Kari’s Law and RAY BAUM’s Act?
Both laws impact enterprises using multi-line telephone
systems (MTLS), such as:
• Companies with offices in multiple locations
• Campuses - including K-12, universities, and colleges
• Hospitals
• Hotels
• Retail facilities
• Financial institutions
• Warehouses
Contact IPitomy regulatory experts for answers 1 800 IPitomy (800474-8669)
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