II 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 5351 

To direct the Secretary of the Interior to upgrade existing public safety 

answering points in units of the National Park System to Next Generation 9–1–1 systems, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 20, 2024 

Mr. BARRASSO introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 

referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of the Interior to upgrade existing 

public safety answering points in units of the National 

Park System to Next Generation 9–1–1 systems, and 

for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Safer Parks Act’’. 

5 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

6 In this Act: 


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1 (1) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CON2 GRESS.—The term ‘‘appropriate committees of Con3 gress’’ means— 

4 (A) the Committee on Energy and Natural 

5 Resources of the Senate; 

6 (B) the Committee on Commerce, Science, 

7 and Transportation of the Senate; 

8 (C) the Committee on Natural Resources 

9 of the House of Representatives; and 

10 (D) the Committee on Energy and Com11 merce of the House of Representatives. 

12 (2) NEXT GENERATION 9–1–1 SYSTEM.—The 

13 term ‘‘Next Generation 9–1–1 system’’ has the 

14 meaning given the term ‘‘Next Generation 9–1–1 

15 services’’ in section 158(e) of the National Tele16 communications and Information Administration Or17 ganization Act (47 U.S.C. 942(e)). 

18 (3) PUBLIC SAFETY ANSWERING POINT.—The 

19 term ‘‘public safety answering point’’ has the mean20 ing given the term in section 222(h) of the Commu21 nications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 222(h)). 

22 (4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

23 the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Di24 rector of the National Park Service. 


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1 SEC. 3. ASSESSMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY ANSWERING 

2 POINTS LOCATED IN UNITS OF THE NA3 TIONAL PARK SYSTEM. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the 

5 date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall complete 

6 an assessment of public safety answering points located 

7 in units of the National Park System to identify— 

8 (1) the implementation status of Next Genera9 tion 9–1–1 systems at existing public safety answer10 ing points in units of the National Park System; 

11 (2) estimated costs to purchase Next Genera12 tion 9–1–1 systems for public safety answering 

13 points in units of the National Park System that 

14 have not begun to implement Next Generation 9–1– 

15 1 systems; and 

16 (3) estimated costs to maintain and operate 

17 Next Generation 9–1–1 systems across all public 

18 safety answering points in units of the National 

19 Park System. 

20 (b) REPORT.—On completion of the assessment 

21 under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the ap22 propriate committees of Congress, and make available on 

23 the website of the Department of the Interior, a report— 

24 (1) describing the results of the assessment; 

25 and 


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1 (2) identifying issues that may affect the imple2 mentation of Next Generation 9–1–1 systems across 

3 all public safety answering points in units of the Na4 tional Park System, including— 

5 (A) jurisdictional issues; 

6 (B) technological issues; 

7 (C) issues relating to relevant authorities; 

8 and 

9 (D) issues relating to legal agreements. 

10 SEC. 4. PLAN TO INSTALL NEXT GENERATION 9–1–1 SYS11 TEMS IN UNITS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYS12 TEM. 

13 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the 

14 date on which the report under section 3(b) is submitted, 

15 the Secretary shall develop a plan, based on the results 

16 of the assessment completed under section 3(a) and sub17 ject to subsection (c), to install Next Generation 9–1–1 

18 systems at identified public safety answering points in 

19 units of the National Park System. 

20 (b) CONSULTATION.—In developing the plan under 

21 subsection (a), the Secretary shall consult with— 

22 (1) State and local emergency operations offi23 cials to ensure interoperability of the Next Genera24 tion 9–1–1 systems; 


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1 (2) State and local stakeholders that the super2 intendent of the applicable unit of the National Park 

3 System determines to be appropriate; and 

4 (3) relevant Federal agencies, including— 

5 (A) the National Telecommunications and 

6 Information Administration; 

7 (B) the National Highway Traffic Safety 

8 Administration; and 

9 (C) the Federal Communications Commis10 sion. 

11 (c) LIMITATION.—Notwithstanding subsection (a), a 

12 plan developed under that subsection shall not be required 

13 to address public safety answering points in any unit of 

14 the National Park System at which the superintendent of 

15 the unit of the National Park System determines that suf16 ficient Next Generation 9–1–1 systems have already been 

17 installed or are being installed, as applicable. 

Æ 


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