Virginia Law

Article 7. Enhanced Public Safety Telephone Services Act.

As used in this article, unless the context requires a different meaning:

"Automatic location identification" or "ALI" means a telecommunications network capability that enables the automatic display of information defining the geographical location of the telephone used to place a wireless enhanced 9-1-1 call.

"Automatic number identification" or "ANI" means a telecommunications network capability that enables the automatic display of the telephone number used to place a wireless Enhanced 9-1-1 call.

"Board" means the 9-1-1 Services Board created pursuant to this article.

"Chief Information Officer" or "CIO" means the Chief Information Officer appointed pursuant to § 2.2-2005.

"Coordinator" means the Virginia Public Safety Communications Systems Coordinator employed by the Division.

"CMRS" means mobile telecommunications service as defined in the federal Mobile Telecommunications Sourcing Act, 4 U.S.C. § 124, as amended.

"CMRS provider" means an entity authorized by the Federal Communications Commission to provide CMRS within the Commonwealth.

"Division" means the Division of Public Safety Communications created in § 44-146.18:5.

"Emergency services IP network" or "ESInet" means a shared public safety agency-managed Internet protocol (IP) network that (i) is used for emergency services communications, (ii) provides an IP transport infrastructure that is capable of carrying voice and data and that supports next generation 9-1-1 service core functions such as routing and location validation of emergency service requests, and (iii) is engineered, managed, and intended to support emergency public safety communications and 9-1-1 service.

"Enhanced 9-1-1 service" or "E-911" means a service consisting of telephone network features and PSAPs provided for users of telephone systems enabling such users to reach a PSAP by dialing the digits "9-1-1." Such service automatically directs 9-1-1 emergency telephone calls to the appropriate PSAPs by selective routing based on the geographical location from which the emergency call originated and provides the capability for ANI and ALI features.

"ESInet point of interconnection" means the demarcation point at which the NG9-1-1 Service Provider receives and assumes responsibility for 9-1-1 call traffic from originating service providers.

"Local exchange carrier" means any public service company granted a certificate to furnish public utility service for the provision of local exchange telephone service pursuant to Chapter 10.1 (§ 56-265.1 et seq.) of Title 56.

"Next generation 9-1-1 service" or "NG9-1-1" means a service that (i) consists of coordinated intrastate 9-1-1 IP networks serving residents of the Commonwealth with the routing of emergency service requests, by voice or data, across public safety ESInets; (ii) automatically directs 9-1-1 emergency telephone calls and other emergency service requests in data formats to the appropriate PSAPs by routing using geographical information system data; (iii) provides for ANI and ALI features; and (iv) interconnects with enhanced 9-1-1 service.

"9-1-1 service" includes E-911 and NG9-1-1.

"Originating service provider" means the local exchange carrier, VoIP provider, or CMRS provider that serves the end user over which a 9-1-1 call, 9-8-8 call, call to the crisis call center, as defined in § 37.2-311.1, or call to the NSPL, as defined in § 37.2-311.1, is made.

"Place of primary use" has the meaning as defined in the federal Mobile Telecommunications Sourcing Act, 4 U.S.C. § 124, as amended.

"Postpaid CMRS" means CMRS that is not prepaid CMRS, as defined in § 56-484.17:1.

"Public safety answering point" or "PSAP" means a facility (i) equipped and staffed on a 24-hour basis to receive and process 9-1-1 calls or (ii) that intends to receive and process 9-1-1 calls and has notified CMRS providers in its jurisdiction of its intention to receive and process such calls.

"VoIP service" means interconnected voice over Internet protocol service as defined in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 47, Part 9, section 9.3, as amended.

"Wireless E-911 Fund" means the fund created pursuant to § 56-484.17.

"Wireless E-911 surcharge" means a fee billed with respect to postpaid CMRS customers by each CMRS provider and CMRS reseller on each CMRS device capable of two-way interactive voice communication.

2000, c. 1064; 2001, c. 529; 2002, c. 68; 2003, cc. 160, 341, 981, 1021; 2005, c. 942; 2006, cc. 739, 780; 2010, cc. 466, 566; 2011, cc. 120, 138; 2016, c. 361; 2018, cc. 532, 533; 2020, c. 423; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 248.

Repealed by Acts 2018, cc. 532 and 533, cl. 2.

A. The E-911 Services Board, formerly the Wireless E-911 Services Board, is hereby continued as the 9-1-1 Services Board. The Board shall exercise the powers and duties conferred in this article.

B. The 9-1-1 Services Board shall:

1. Support and assist PSAPs in the provision of 9-1-1 operations and services, including through provision of funding and development of best practices;

2. Plan, promote, and assist in the statewide development, deployment, and maintenance of an emergency services IP network that will support future 9-1-1 and other public safety applications and technologies; and

3. Consult and coordinate with PSAPs, state and local public bodies in the Commonwealth, public bodies in other states, CMRS providers, VoIP service providers affiliated with cable companies, and other entities as needed in the exercise of the Board's powers and duties.

C. The Board shall consist of 16 members as follows: the Director of the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, who shall serve as chairman of the Board; the Comptroller, who shall serve as the treasurer of the Board; the Chief Information Officer; and the following 13 members to be appointed by the Governor: one member representing the Virginia State Police; one member representing a local exchange carrier providing E-911 service in Virginia; one member representing VoIP service providers affiliated with cable companies and authorized to transact business in Virginia; two members representing wireless service providers authorized to do business in Virginia; three county, city, or town PSAP directors or managers representing diverse regions of Virginia; one Virginia sheriff; one chief of police; one fire chief; one emergency medical services manager; and one finance officer of a county, city, or town.

D. The Commonwealth Interoperability Coordinator shall serve as an advisor to the Board in the exercise of the powers and duties conferred in this article so as to ensure, among other matters, that enhanced wireless emergency telecommunications services and technologies are compliant with the statewide interoperability strategic plan.

E. All members appointed by the Governor shall serve five-year terms. The CIO and the Comptroller shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office. No gubernatorial appointee shall serve more than two consecutive terms.

F. A majority of the Board shall constitute a quorum. The Board shall meet at least quarterly or at the call of its chairman.

G. Members of the Board shall serve without compensation; however, members of the Board shall be reimbursed for expenses as provided in §§ 2.2-2813 through 2.2-2826.

H. The Division shall provide staff support to the Board. The Division of Public Safety Communications created in § 44-146.18:5 and the Virginia Department of Transportation shall provide such technical advice as the Board requires.

2000, c. 1064; 2003, cc. 981, 1021; 2006, c. 739; 2009, c. 613; 2011, c. 138; 2012, c. 36; 2016, c. 361; 2020, c. 423.

The 9-1-1 Services Board shall have the power and duty to:

1. Make and enter into all contracts and agreements necessary or incidental to the performance of its duties and the execution of its powers, including purchase agreements payable from (i) the Wireless E-911 Fund and (ii) other moneys appropriated for the provision of 9-1-1 services.

2. Pursue all legal remedies to enforce any provision of this article, or any contract entered into pursuant to this article.

3. Develop a comprehensive, statewide enhanced 9-1-1 plan for wireless E-911, VoIP E-911, and any other future communications technologies accessing 9-1-1 for emergency purposes. In constructing and periodically updating this plan as appropriate, the Board shall monitor trends and advances in enhanced wireless, VoIP, and other emergency telecommunications technologies, plan and forecast future needs for these enhanced technologies, and formulate strategies for the efficient and effective delivery of 9-1-1 services in the future.

4. Grant such extensions of time for compliance with the provisions of § 56-484.16 as the Board deems appropriate.

5. Take all steps necessary to inform the public of the use of the digits "9-1-1" as the designated emergency telephone number and the use of the digits "#-7-7" as a designated non-emergency telephone number.

6. Report annually to the Governor, the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations and the House Committee on Appropriations, and the Virginia State Crime Commission on (i) the state of enhanced 9-1-1 services in the Commonwealth, (ii) the impact of, or need for, legislation affecting enhanced 9-1-1 services in the Commonwealth, and (iii) the need for changes in the E-911 funding mechanism provided to the Board, as appropriate.

7. Provide advisory technical assistance to PSAPs and state and local law enforcement, and fire and emergency medical services agencies, upon request.

8. Collect, distribute, and withhold moneys from the Wireless E-911 Fund as provided in this article.

9. Develop a comprehensive single, statewide electronic addressing database to support geographic data and statewide base map data programs pursuant to subsection D of § 44-146.18:6.

10. Receive such funds as may be appropriated for purposes consistent with this article and such gifts, donations, grants, bequests, or other funds as may be received from, applied for or offered by either public or private sources.

11. Manage other moneys appropriated for the provision of enhanced emergency telecommunications services.

12. Perform all acts necessary, convenient, or desirable to carrying out the purposes of this article.

13. Drawing from the work of 9-1-1 professional organizations, in its sole discretion, publish best practices for PSAPs. These best practices shall be voluntary and recommended by a subcommittee composed of PSAP representatives.

14. Develop or adopt and publish standards for an emergency services IP network and core NG9-1-1 services on that network to ensure that enhanced public safety telephone services seamlessly interoperate within the Commonwealth and with surrounding states.

15. Monitor developments in 9-1-1 service and multiline telephone systems and the impact of such technologies upon the implementation of Article 8 (§ 56-484.19 et seq.). The Board shall include its assessment of such impact in the annual report filed pursuant to subdivision 6.

2000, c. 1064; 2005, c. 942; 2006, c. 739; 2007, c. 427; 2011, c. 138; 2015, cc. 502, 503; 2016, c. 361; 2020, c. 423.

Repealed by Acts 2018, cc. 532 and 533, cl. 2.

A. On or before July 1, 2003, every county, city or town in the Commonwealth shall be served by an E-911 system, unless an extension of time has been granted by the Board.

B. On or before July 1, 2020, each PSAP in the Commonwealth shall deploy equipment, products, and services necessary or appropriate to enable the PSAP to receive and process calls for emergency assistance sent via Short Message Service (SMS) text messages in a manner consistent with FCC Order 14-118 and any other FCC order that affects the deployment of SMS text-to-9-1-1. Upon such deployment, the PSAP shall notify the FCC's PSAP Text-to-911 Readiness and Certification Registry.

C. The digits "9-1-1" shall be the designated emergency telephone number in Virginia. No public safety agency shall advertise or otherwise promote the use of any number for emergency response service other than "9-1-1."

D. All originating service providers required to provide access to 9-1-1 service shall route the 9-1-1 calls of their subscribers to ESInet points of interconnection designated by the Board. The Board shall establish points of interconnection at or within the local access and transport area and in proximity of each selective router central office providing E-911 service as of July 1, 2018. Additionally, the Board shall establish a minimum of one pair (two) and a maximum of three pair (six) geographically diverse from their designated pair point of session initiation protocol (SIP) interconnection within the Commonwealth. The Board shall establish ESInet points of interconnection in a manner that minimizes cost to the originating service providers to the extent practicable while still achieving necessary 9-1-1 service and ESInet objectives.

E. The NG9-1-1 service provider shall receive the 9-1-1 calls delivered by the originating service provider at the designated ESInet points of interconnection and deliver the calls to the appropriate PSAP. The NG9-1-1 service provider shall not charge the originating service provider to connect to the ESInet point of interconnection nor for the delivery of the 9-1-1 calls to the PSAP. The originating service provider responsibility for 9-1-1 calls ends and the PSAP responsibility begins at their respective sides of the ESInet point of interconnection.

F. The PSAP shall validate the location of the originating service provider subscribers as necessary to ensure the location exists and will route to the appropriate PSAP if 9-1-1 is dialed. The PSAP shall not charge the originating service provider for such validation.

G. No later than July 1, 2023, the Board shall develop and fully implement NG9-1-1 transition plans to migrate PSAPs and originating service providers from E-911 to NG9-1-1. To the extent practicable, the migration of PSAPs will be implemented on a sequential region-by-region basis for those PSAPs served by each legacy E-911 selective router pair. With a minimum of six months' written notice to the impacted stakeholders, this date may be extended by the Board for good cause. For purposes of this section, "good cause" means an event or events reasonably beyond the ability of the Board to anticipate or control.

2000, c. 1064; 2001, c. 713; 2005, c. 942; 2018, cc. 532, 533, 673.

A. As used in this section:

"Dispatcher" means an individual employed by a public safety answering point, an emergency medical dispatch service provider, or both, who is qualified to answer incoming emergency telephone calls or provide for the appropriate emergency response either directly or through communication with the appropriate PSAP.

"Emergency Medical Dispatch" means a systematic program of handling medical calls pursuant to which trained dispatchers determine the nature and priority of the call, dispatch the appropriate response, and give the caller instructions to help treat the caller until the arrival of the appropriate responder.

"Emergency Medical Dispatch certification" means certification by an Office of Emergency Medical Services recognized emergency dispatch training organization meeting or exceeding standards by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and accepted and recognized by the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM).

"Emergency Medical Dispatch education program" means an Emergency Medical Dispatch certification education program that meets national criteria set forth by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

"High-quality telecommunicator cardiopulmonary resuscitation instruction" or "TCPR" means the delivery by trained 911 telecommunicators of high-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation instruction for acute events requiring cardiopulmonary resuscitation, including out-of-hospital cardiac arrests.

"Office" means the Office of Emergency Medical Services within the Department of Health.

B. By July 1, 2021, the Office of Emergency Medical Services shall adopt standards for training and equipment required for the provision of TCPR by dispatchers. The standards shall meet or exceed nationally recognized emergency cardiovascular care guidelines. At a minimum, training standards shall require dispatchers to obtain certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and shall incorporate recognition protocols for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, compression-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation instructions for callers, and continuing education as appropriate. The Office shall update such standards as frequently as necessary, but not more frequently than biennially, in order to keep the standards current with nationally recognized emergency cardiovascular care guidelines.

C. On or before January 1, 2022, each PSAP shall provide training in TCPR to each dispatcher in its employ and shall provide its dispatchers with equipment necessary for the provision of TCPR. The training and equipment shall comply with the standards adopted by the Office pursuant to subsection B. Following completion of the initial training, each dispatcher's training shall be updated or supplemented in order to reflect updates to the training standards.

D. An operator of a PSAP may enter into a reciprocal agreement with the operator of another PSAP authorizing the initial PSAP to transfer callers to the other PSAP at times that the PSAP does not have a trained dispatcher on duty who is able to provide TCPR to a caller. If a PSAP transfers a caller under the provisions of this subsection, the transferring PSAP shall use an evidence-based protocol for the identification of a person in need of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and ensure that the PSAP to which calls are transferred uses dispatchers who meet the training requirements under subsection B to provide assistance on administering TCPR.

E. The Office of Emergency Medical Services shall identify all public agencies and other persons that provide TCPR training that satisfies the requirements adopted under subsection B and set minimum standards for course approval, instruction, and examination, including online training modules based on nationally recognized guidelines. The Office shall implement a means to ensure that every dispatcher who has satisfactorily completed a training program and his employing PSAP receive a certificate of completion of the required TCPR training.

F. No dispatcher who instructs a caller on TCPR shall be liable for any civil damages arising out of the instruction provided to the caller, except for acts or omissions intentionally designed to harm or for grossly negligent acts or omissions that result in harm to an individual. A caller may decline to receive TCPR. When a caller declines TCPR, the dispatcher has no obligation to provide such instruction.

G. By January 1, 2024, each operator of a PSAP shall implement a requirement that each of its dispatchers shall by July 1, 2024, have completed an Emergency Medical Dispatch education program that complies with minimum standards established by the Office of Emergency Medical Services. The Office shall ensure that every dispatcher who has satisfactorily completed an Emergency Medical Dispatch education program and his employing PSAP receive a certificate of completion of the required education program. Following completion of the initial Emergency Medical Dispatch education program, each dispatcher's training shall be updated or supplemented in order to reflect updates to the education program.

H. Each PSAP shall conduct ongoing quality assurance of its TCPR program.

I. The State Board of Health shall adopt regulations in accordance with the provisions of the Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.) as are necessary to implement the provisions of this section.

2020, cc. 1068, 1069.

A. There is hereby created in the state treasury a special nonreverting fund to be known as the Wireless E-911 Fund (the Fund). The Fund shall be established on the books of the Comptroller. Interest earned on moneys in the Fund shall remain in the Fund and be credited to it. Any moneys remaining in the Fund, including interest thereon, at the end of each fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund but shall remain in the Fund. Except as provided in § 44-146.18:5, moneys in the Fund shall be used for the purposes stated in subsections C and D. Expenditures and disbursements from the Fund shall be made by the State Treasurer on warrants issued by the Comptroller upon written request signed by the Tax Commissioner or the State Coordinator of Emergency Management.

B. Each CMRS provider and each CMRS reseller shall collect a monthly wireless E-911 surcharge of $0.82 from each of its customers whose place of primary use is within the Commonwealth. However, no surcharge shall be imposed on federal, state and local government agencies. A payment equal to all wireless E-911 surcharges shall be remitted within 30 days to the Department of Taxation. The Department of Taxation, after subtracting its direct costs of administration, shall deposit all remitted wireless E-911 surcharges into the state treasury. The Comptroller shall as soon as practicable deposit such moneys into the Fund. Each CMRS provider and CMRS reseller may retain an amount equal to three percent of the wireless E-911 surcharges collected to defray the costs of collecting the surcharges. State and local taxes shall not apply to any wireless E-911 surcharge collected from customers. Surcharges collected from customers shall be subject to the provisions of the federal Mobile Telecommunications Sourcing Act (4 U.S.C. § 116 et seq., as amended).

The CMRS provider and CMRS reseller shall collect the surcharge through regular periodic billing.

C. Sixty percent of the Wireless E-911 Fund shall be distributed on a monthly basis to the PSAPs according to each PSAP's average pro rata distribution from the Wireless E-911 Fund for fiscal years 2007-2012, taking into account any funding adjustments made pursuant to subsection E. On or before July 1, 2018, and every five years thereafter, the Department of Taxation shall recalculate the distribution percentage for each PSAP based on the population and call load data of the PSAP for the previous five fiscal years, which data shall continue to be received by the Board and then reported to the Department of Taxation. The distribution from the Wireless E-911 Fund shall be made on a monthly basis to the PSAPs according to such distribution percentage beginning July 1 of such fiscal year.

D. The remaining 40 percent of the Fund shall be distributed to PSAPs or on behalf of PSAPs based on grant requests received by the Board each fiscal year. The Board shall establish criteria for receiving and making grants from the Fund, including procedures for determining the amount of a grant and payment schedule. The Board shall give the highest priority to grants that support the regional or multijurisdictional deployment and sustainment of NG9-1-1, and it shall give secondary priority to grants that support the deployment and sustainment of (i) NG9-1-1 in a single jurisdiction and (ii) in-building repeaters that improve public safety radio coverage within buildings with impaired radio coverage. If requested by an originating service provider, the Board shall execute a contract to reimburse that originating service provider for its costs incurred to deliver 9-1-1 calls to the ESInet points of interconnection. The Board shall ensure that cost is minimized while still achieving necessary 9-1-1 service and ESInet objectives. The Board may retain some or all of this uncommitted funding for an identified 9-1-1 funding need or for a reserve balance pursuant to a reserve balance policy adopted by the Board.

E. After the end of each fiscal year, on a schedule adopted by the Board, the Board shall audit the grant funding received by all recipients to ensure it was utilized in accordance with the grant requirements. Each funding recipient shall provide such verification of such costs as may be requested by the Board. Any overpayment shall be refunded to the Board or credited to payments during the then-current fiscal year, on such schedule as the Board shall determine. If payments are less than the actual costs reported, the Board may include the additional funding in the then-current fiscal year.

F. The Auditor of Public Accounts, or his legally authorized representatives, shall audit the Wireless E-911 Fund as determined necessary by the Auditor of Public Accounts. The cost of such audit shall be borne by the Board and be payable from the Wireless E-911 Fund, as appropriate. The Board shall furnish copies of the audits to the Governor, the Public Safety Subcommittees of the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations and the House Committee on Appropriations, and the Virginia State Crime Commission.

G. The special tax authorized by § 58.1-1730 shall not be imposed on consumers of CMRS.

2000, c. 1064; 2001, c. 529; 2002, c. 68; 2003, c. 341; 2004, c. 167; 2005, c. 942; 2006, cc. 739, 780; 2010, cc. 466, 566; 2011, cc. 162, 630; 2012, cc. 25, 165, 672; 2017, cc. 22, 260; 2018, cc. 57, 307, 532, 533; 2020, c. 423; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 248.

A. As used in this section, unless the context requires a different meaning:

"Dealer" means a person who sells prepaid CMRS to an end user.

"Department" means the Department of Taxation.

"End user" means a person who purchases prepaid CMRS in a retail transaction.

"Prepaid CMRS" means CMRS that allows a caller to dial 911 to access the 911 system, which CMRS service is required to be paid for in advance and is sold in predetermined units or dollars of which the number declines with use in a known amount.

"Prepaid wireless E-911 charge" means the charge that is required to be collected by a dealer from an end user in the amount established under subsection B.

"Retail transaction" means the purchase of prepaid CMRS from a dealer for any purpose other than resale. If more than one item or article of prepaid CMRS is purchased by an end user, then each item or article purchased shall be deemed to be a separate retail transaction.

B. The prepaid wireless E-911 charge:

1. Shall be $0.55 per retail transaction.

2. Shall be collected by the dealer from the end user with respect to each retail transaction occurring in the Commonwealth. The amount of the prepaid wireless E-911 charge shall be either separately stated on an invoice, receipt, or other similar document that is provided to the end user by the dealer or otherwise disclosed by the dealer to the end user. For purposes of this subdivision, a retail transaction that is effected in person by an end user at a business location of the dealer shall be treated as occurring in the Commonwealth if that business location is in the Commonwealth, and any other retail transaction shall be treated as occurring in the Commonwealth if treated as occurring in the Commonwealth for purposes of the Virginia Retail Sales and Use Tax Act (§ 58.1-600 et seq.).

3. Is the liability of the end user and not of the dealer or of any CMRS provider, except that the dealer shall be liable to remit to the Department all prepaid wireless E-911 charges that the dealer collects from end users as provided in subsection E, including all prepaid wireless E-911 charges that the dealer is deemed to have collected in cases in which the charge has not been separately stated on an invoice, receipt, or other similar document provided to the end user by the dealer.

C. The amount of the prepaid wireless E-911 charge that is collected by a dealer from an end user shall not be included in the base for measuring any fee, tax, surcharge, or other charge that is imposed by the Commonwealth, any political subdivision of the Commonwealth, or any intergovernmental agency.

D. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, the charge imposed pursuant to this section shall be collected by the Tax Commissioner and shall be implemented, enforced, and collected in the same manner as retail sales and use taxes are implemented, enforced, and collected under the Virginia Retail Sales and Use Tax Act (§ 58.1-600 et seq.). However, as provided in subdivision B 3, the prepaid wireless E-911 charge shall be the liability of the end user and not of the dealer or of any CMRS provider, except that the dealer shall be liable to remit to the Department all prepaid wireless E-911 charges that the dealer collects from end users. A dealer shall be permitted to deduct and retain five percent of prepaid wireless E-911 charges that are collected by the dealer from end users if such charges were not delinquent at the time of remittance to the Department. Nothing herein shall be construed or interpreted as limiting or restricting the discount provided under § 58.1-622 with regard to prepaid CMRS that is taxable under the Virginia Retail Sales and Use Tax Act.

The Department, after subtracting its direct costs of administration, shall deposit all remitted prepaid wireless E-911 charges into the state treasury. The Comptroller shall as soon as practicable deposit such moneys into the Wireless E-911 Fund for use by the Board in accordance with the purposes permitted by this article.

E. The Department shall develop and publish guidelines implementing the provisions of this section and shall update the guidelines as deemed necessary by the Tax Commissioner. The Tax Commissioner shall notify every dealer holding a certificate of registration under § 58.1-613 when the guidelines and any updates are published. The development and publication of the guidelines shall be exempt from the provisions of the Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.).

Among other items, the guidelines shall include provisions exempting small dealers, as defined solely by the Department, from the otherwise mandatory requirement under this section to disclose the prepaid wireless E-911 charge to the end user. The guidelines shall define a "small dealer" based, in part or in whole, upon the extent to which the dealer sells prepaid CMRS.

F. The provisions of this section shall apply to retail transactions occurring on or after January 1, 2011.

2010, cc. 466, 566; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 248.

A. Telephone number #77 is hereby designated as an official access number for wireless telephone usage in the Commonwealth for access to designated offices of the Department of State Police and shall be used solely for official business.

B. No caller shall block caller identification or other essential information on calls made to telephone number #77. Where technically feasible, wireline and wireless telephone providers shall provide calling party number identification for all wireless #77 calls. Any communications services provider, as defined in § 58.1-647, including mobile service, in this Commonwealth shall not be liable for any civil damages for any act or omission resulting from rendering such service with or without charge related to #77 calls unless such act or omission was the result of such service provider's gross negligence or willful misconduct.

2000, c. 771; 2006, c. 780.