An Act To Mandate E-9-1-1 TDD Testing and Training
Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 1612
Committee: Utilities and Energy
Sponsors: EDMONDS
Amends: 25 MRSA §292, 25 MRSA §2926

Legislative Document 
No. 1612 
S.P.594 
In Senate, May 3, 2005 
An Act To Mandate E-9-1-1 TDD Testing and Training 
Reference to the Committee on Utilities and Energy suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by President EDMONDS of Cumberland. 
Printed on recycled paper 
JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. I. 25 MRSA §292I, sub·§8.A is enacted to read: 
8-A. 
Telecommunications 
device 
for 
deaf 
or 
TDD. 
"Telecommunications 
device 
for 
the 
deaf" 
or 
"TDD" 
means 
a 
teletypewriter or 
other 
telecommunications 
equipment 
used 
by 
deat. 
hard-ot-hearing 
or 
speech-impaired 
persons 
to 
conduct 
telephone communications. 
Sec. 2. 25 MRSA §2926. sub-§2, 1JB. as amended by PL 2001, c. 
439, Pt. EEEE, §3, is further amended to read: 
B. 
Development of minimum public safety answering point 
requirements including 24-hour operation; emergency backup 
power; secured communication areas; separate administrative 
phone 
lines 
for 
nonemergency calls; 
call 
recording 
and 
playback equipment; TDD equipmentT-a~-~~~~-~~~~-l9-AT 
seetieB-~1-O-6-r--6~~~-e; the ability to accept a call 
generated 
by 
an 
automated 
emergency 
response 
telephone; 
maximum call handling times; 
and minimum mandatory staff 
training 
requirements 
for 
E-9-1-1 
call 
answering 
and 
dispatching. including training on voice carry-over, hearing 
carryover and captioned telephones, TDD equipment and newly 
developed related equipment annually and upon the employment 
of a dispatcher; 
Sec. 3. 25 MRSA §2926, sub-§§7 and 8 are enacted to read: 
7. 
Random tests. 
The bureau shall conduct an unannounced 
TDD call test at least once a 
mo~tth for every public safety 
answering point. 
The test must include outgoing and incomi-.ng 
calls and an e<Luipment 
chec~ncluding the use of TDD, 
voice 
carry-oyer, 
hear ing 
carry-over 
and 
captioned 
telephone 
equipment. 
The bureau shall report the test results of all 
PUblic safety answering points to the E-9-l-l Council and the 
Department of Labor. Bureau of Rehabilitation Services, Division 
of Deafness. 
8. 
Compatibility. 
The bureau shall ensure that a change to 
the statewide E-9 1 1 
system that requires 
new 
equipment is 
compatible with TDD, 
voice carryover. hearing carryover and 
captioned telephone equipment. 
SUMMARY 
This bill requires that the Emergency Services Communication 
Bureau: 
1. 
Ensure that all public safety answering points accept 
calls generated from automated emergency response telephones; 
Page l-LR0898(l) 
• 
• 
2. 
Ensure that all dispatchers at public safety answering 
points are trained on telecommunications devices for the deaf and 
voice 
carry-over, 
hearing 
carry-over 
and 
captioned 
telephone 
equipment as well as any newly developed related equipment; 
3. 
Conduct monthly, unannounced call tests for every public 
safety answering point to test call and equipment capability and 
to 
report 
the test results 
to 
the 
E-9-1-1 
Council 
and 
the 
Department of Labor, Bureau of Rehabilitation Services, Division 
of Deafness; and 
4. 
Ensure 
that 
any 
change 
to 
the 
E-9-1-1 
system that 
requires 
new 
equipment 
is 
compatible 
with 
telecommunications 
devices for the deaf and voice carry-over, hearing carry-over and 
captioned telephone equipment .