What You Need to Know About Texas Kari’s Law and Federal Kari’s Law

The story of Kari Hunt has come a long way. It is a story that has touched many hearts with sadness. It has also had many people join Hank Hunt’s (her father) fight for direct access to 9-1-1 without having to dial an additional digit from a multi-line telephone system (MLTS). Most of these phones are found in hotels, offices and many businesses. Kari’s story ends in success but started as a tragedy no father should ever have to endure.

BACKGROUND OF KARI’S LAW

Kari Hunt, daughter of Hank Hunt, was killed by her estranged husband in a motel room in Marshall, Texas in 2013. At the time, Kari’s 9-year-old daughter tried to call 9-1-1 for help four times from the motel room phone, but the call never went through. Why? Kari was doing what she was taught, because we teach children to dial 9-1-1 in an emergency. We do not teach them that they need to dial “9” for an outbound line before being able to dial 9-1-1. Sadly, Kari died that day when her life could have been potentially saved if her daughter had been able to get through to 9-1-1.

TEXAS KARI’S LAW

Hank could not let her death be in vain. He started an incredible grassroots effort in Texas to get Kari’s Law enacted that would allow a person to dial 9-1-1 without having to push any additional digits first. He reached out to local officials and started a petition online. And his hard work paid off. Public officials, 9-1-1 employees, and citizens noticed and pushed for a law to change how MLTS phones are set up to ensure a person can dial 9-1-1 and get help right away. On May 15, 2015, Governor Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 788 into law. The law ultimately represents the culmination of the enormous efforts for change in the aftermath of the death of Kari.

The law and the rule require a business service user (BSU) to configure their MLTS for direct dialing to 9-1-1 without any initial digit, prefix, or access code to reach an outbound line.  Compliance with the law began on September 1, 2016.  The primary reason a rule was put into place was to implement the statutory waiver process under which a BSU can obtain a one-year waiver of the Texas Kari’s Law’s direct dialing requirements. To obtain a waiver, a BSU must timely submit an affidavit stating that: (1) The business service user made a good faith attempt to reprogram or replace the telephone system; and (2) Reprogramming/replacing of a non-compliant telephone system would be unduly and unreasonably cost prohibitive.

For more resources on Texas Kari's Law, including requesting a one-year waiver, please visit www.texas911.org. Additionally, CSEC has created a Texas Kari's Law Toolkit which includes a brochure, multiple PSAs and other helpful items in educating those to comply with Kari’s Law.

FEDERAL KARI’S LAW

Texas might have been one of the first states to create a Kari’s Law, but many other states followed suit. More and more support for a federal Kari’s Law was in the works. On February 16, 2018, Congress enacted the federal Kari’s Law Act of 2017 (Federal Kari’s Law) requiring direct dialing 9-1-1 access and notification with respect to any new MLTS. Federal Kari’s Law applies to a person (1) engaged in the business of manufacturing, importing, selling, or leasing MLTS; or (2) engaged in the business of installing, managing, or operating a MLTS.

The law and the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) regulations implementing the law are forward looking and apply only with respect to MLTS that are manufactured, imported, offered for first sale or lease, first sold or leased, or installed after February 16, 2020. For more information on the Federal Kari’s Law please visit https://www.fcc.gov/mlts-911-requirements.