50 ILCS 750/2

(50 ILCS 750/2) (from Ch. 134, par. 32)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on December 31, 2025)

Sec. 2. Definitions. As used in this Act, unless the context otherwise requires:

"9-1-1 network" means the network used for the delivery of 9-1-1 calls and messages over dedicated and redundant facilities to a primary or backup 9-1-1 PSAP that meets the appropriate grade of service.

"9-1-1 system" means the geographic area that has been granted an order of authority by the Commission or the Statewide 9-1-1 Administrator to use "9-1-1" as the primary emergency telephone number, including, but not limited to, the network, software applications, databases, CPE components and operational and management procedures required to provide 9-1-1 service.

"9-1-1 Authority" means an Emergency Telephone System Board or Joint Emergency Telephone System Board that provides for the management and operation of a 9-1-1 system. "9-1-1 Authority" includes the Illinois State Police only to the extent it provides 9-1-1 services under this Act.

"9-1-1 System Manager" means the manager, director, administrator, or coordinator who at the direction of his or her Emergency Telephone System Board is responsible for the implementation and execution of the order of authority issued by the Commission or the Statewide 9-1-1 Administrator through the programs, policies, procedures, and daily operations of the 9-1-1 system consistent with the provisions of this Act.

"Administrator" means the Statewide 9-1-1 Administrator.

"Advanced service" means any telecommunications service with or without dynamic bandwidth allocation, including, but not limited to, ISDN Primary Rate Interface (PRI), that, through the use of a DS-1, T-1, or other un-channelized or multi-channel transmission facility, is capable of transporting either the subscriber's inter-premises voice telecommunications services to the public switched network or the subscriber's 9-1-1 calls to the public agency.

"Aggregator" means an entity that ingresses 9-1-1 calls of multiple traffic types or 9-1-1 calls from multiple originating service providers and combines them on a trunk group or groups (or equivalent egress connection arrangement to a 9-1-1 system provider's E9-1-1/NG9-1-1 network or system), and that uses the routing information provided in the received call setup signaling to select the appropriate trunk group and proceeds to signal call setup toward the 9-1-1 system provider. "Aggregator" includes an originating service provider that provides aggregation functions for its own 9-1-1 calls. "Aggregator" also includes an aggregation network or an aggregation entity that provides aggregator services for other types of system providers, such as cloud-based services or enterprise networks as its client.

"ALI" or "automatic location identification" means the automatic display at the public safety answering point of the address or location of the caller's telephone and supplementary emergency services information of the location from which a call originates.

"ANI" or "automatic number identification" means the automatic display of the 10-digit telephone number associated with the caller's telephone number.

"Automatic alarm" and "automatic alerting device" mean any device that will access the 9-1-1 system for emergency services upon activation and does not provide for two-way communication.

"Answering point" means a PSAP, SAP, Backup PSAP, Unmanned Backup Answering Point, or VAP.

"Authorized entity" means an answering point or participating agency other than a decommissioned PSAP.

"Backup PSAP" means an answering point that meets the appropriate standards of service and serves as an alternate to the PSAP operating independently from the PSAP at a different location that has the capability to direct dispatch for the PSAP or otherwise transfer emergency calls directly to an authorized entity. A backup PSAP may accept overflow calls from the PSAP or be activated if the primary PSAP is disabled.

"Board" means an Emergency Telephone System Board or a Joint Emergency Telephone System Board created pursuant to Section 15.4.

"Call back number" means a number used by a PSAP to recontact a location from which a 9-1-1 call was placed, regardless of whether that number is a direct-dial number for a station used to originate a 9-1-1 call.

"Carrier" includes a telecommunications carrier and a wireless carrier.

"Commission" means the Illinois Commerce Commission.

"Computer aided dispatch" or "CAD" means a computer-based system that aids public safety telecommunicators by automating selected dispatching and recordkeeping activities.

"Direct dispatch" means a 9-1-1 service wherein upon receipt of an emergency call, a public safety telecommunicator transmits - without delay, transfer, relay, or referral - all relevant available information to the appropriate public safety personnel or emergency responders.

"Dispatchable location" means the street address of a 9-1-1 caller and additional information, such as room number, floor number, or similar information, necessary to identify the location of the 9-1-1 caller.

"Decommissioned" means the revocation of a PSAPs authority to handle 9-1-1 calls as an answering point within the 9-1-1 network.

"DS-1, T-1, or similar un-channelized or multi-channel transmission facility" means a facility that can transmit and receive a bit rate of at least 1.544 megabits per second (Mbps).

"Dynamic bandwidth allocation" means the ability of the facility or customer to drop and add channels, or adjust bandwidth, when needed in real time for voice or data purposes.

"Emergency call" means any type of request for emergency assistance through a 9-1-1 network either to the digits 9-1-1 or the emergency 24/7 10-digit telephone number for all answering points. An emergency call is not limited to a voice telephone call. It could be a two-way video call, an interactive text, Teletypewriter (TTY), an SMS, an Instant Message, or any new mechanism for communications available in the future. An emergency call occurs when the request for emergency assistance is received by a public safety telecommunicator.

"EMS personnel" has the meaning given to that term in Section 3.5 of the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act.

"Enhanced 9-1-1" or "E9-1-1" means a telephone system that includes network switching, database and PSAP premise elements capable of providing automatic location identification data, selective routing, selective transfer, fixed transfer, and a call back number, including any enhanced 9-1-1 service so designated by the Federal Communications Commission in its report and order in WC Dockets Nos. 04-36 and 05-196, or any successor proceeding.

"ETSB" means an emergency telephone system board appointed by the corporate authorities of any county or municipality that provides for the management and operation of a 9-1-1 system.

"First responder" means someone designated by a public safety agency who is charged with responding to emergency service requests, including emergency communications professionals, public safety telecommunicators, public safety telecommunicator supervisors, and police, fire, and EMS personnel who operate in the field.

"Grade of service" means P.01 for E9-1-1 services or the equivalent for NENA Baseline NG9-1-1 as set forth in the NENA i3 Solution adopted standard.

"Hearing-impaired individual" means a person with a permanent hearing loss who can regularly and routinely communicate by telephone only through the aid of devices which can send and receive written messages over the telephone network.

"Hosted supplemental 9-1-1 service" means a database service that:

(1) electronically provides information to 9-1-1 call takers when a call is placed to 9-1-1;

(2) allows telephone subscribers to provide information to 9-1-1 to be used in emergency scenarios;

(3) collects a variety of formatted data relevant to 9-1-1 and first responder needs, which may include, but is not limited to, photographs of the telephone subscribers, physical descriptions, medical information, household data, and emergency contacts;

(4) allows for information to be entered by telephone subscribers through a secure website where they can elect to provide as little or as much information as they choose;

(5) automatically displays data provided by telephone subscribers to 9-1-1 call takers for all types of telephones when a call is placed to 9-1-1 from a registered and confirmed phone number;

(6) supports the delivery of telephone subscriber information through a secure internet connection to all emergency telephone system boards;

(7) works across all 9-1-1 call taking equipment and allows for the easy transfer of information into a computer aided dispatch system; and

(8) may be used to collect information pursuant to an Illinois Premise Alert Program as defined in the Illinois Premise Alert Program (PAP) Act.

"Interconnected voice over Internet protocol provider" or "Interconnected VoIP provider" has the meaning given to that term under Section 13-235 of the Public Utilities Act.

"Joint ETSB" means a Joint Emergency Telephone System Board established by intergovernmental agreement of two or more municipalities or counties, or a combination thereof, to provide for the management and operation of a 9-1-1 system.

"Key telephone system" means a type of MLTS designed to provide shared access to several outside lines through buttons or keys typically offering identified access lines with direct line appearance or termination on a given telephone set.

"Local public agency" means any unit of local government or special purpose district located in whole or in part within this State that provides or has authority to provide firefighting, police, ambulance, medical, or other emergency services.

"Mechanical dialer" means any device that accesses the 9-1-1 system without human intervention and does not provide for two-way communication.

"Master Street Address Guide" or "MSAG" is a database of street names and house ranges within their associated communities defining emergency service zones (ESZs) and their associated emergency service numbers (ESNs) to enable proper routing of 9-1-1 calls.

"Mobile telephone number" or "MTN" means the telephone number assigned to a wireless telephone at the time of initial activation.

"Multi-line telephone system" or "MLTS" means a system that is comprised of a common control unit or units, telephone sets, control hardware and software, and adjunct systems and that enables users to make and receive telephone calls using shared resources, such as telephone network trunks or data link bandwidth. The terms "multi-line telephone system" and "MLTS" include, but are not limited to: network-based and premises-based systems, such as Centrex service; premises-based, hosted, and cloud-based VoIP systems; PBX, hybrid, and key telephone systems (as classified by the Federal Communications Commission under 47 CFR Part 68 or any successor rules); and systems owned or leased by governmental agencies, nonprofit entities, and for-profit businesses.

"Network connections" means the number of voice grade communications channels directly between a subscriber and a telecommunications carrier's public switched network, without the intervention of any other telecommunications carrier's switched network, which would be required to carry the subscriber's inter-premises traffic and which connection either (1) is capable of providing access through the public switched network to a 9-1-1 Emergency Telephone System, if one exists, or (2) if no system exists at the time a surcharge is imposed under Section 15.3, that would be capable of providing access through the public switched network to the local 9-1-1 Emergency Telephone System if one existed. Where multiple voice grade communications channels are connected to a telecommunications carrier's public switched network through a private branch exchange (PBX) service, there shall be determined to be one network connection for each trunk line capable of transporting either the subscriber's inter-premises traffic to the public switched network or the subscriber's 9-1-1 calls to the public agency. Where multiple voice grade communications channels are connected to an OSP's public switched network through Centrex type service, the number of network connections shall be equal to the number of PBX trunk equivalents for the subscriber's service or other multiple voice grade communication channels facility, as determined by reference to any generally applicable exchange access service tariff filed by the subscriber's telecommunications carrier with the Commission.

"Network costs" means those recurring costs that directly relate to the operation of the 9-1-1 network as determined by the Statewide 9-1-1 Administrator with the advice of the Statewide 9-1-1 Advisory Board, which may include, but need not be limited to, some or all of the following: costs for interoffice trunks, selective routing charges, transfer lines and toll charges for 9-1-1 services, Automatic Location Information (ALI) database charges, independent local exchange carrier charges and non-system provider charges, carrier charges for third party database for on-site customer premises equipment, back-up PSAP trunks for non-system providers, periodic database updates as provided by carrier (also known as "ALI data dump"), regional ALI storage charges, circuits for call delivery (fiber or circuit connection), NG9-1-1 costs, and all associated fees, taxes, and surcharges on each invoice. "Network costs" shall not include radio circuits or toll charges that are other than for 9-1-1 services.

"Next generation 9-1-1" or "NG9-1-1" means a secure Internet Protocol-based (IP-based) open-standards system comprised of hardware, software, data, and operational policies and procedures that:

(A) provides standardized interfaces from emergency call and message services to support emergency communications;

(B) processes all types of emergency calls, including voice, text, data, and multimedia information;

(C) acquires and integrates additional emergency call data useful to call routing and handling;

(D) delivers the emergency calls, messages, and data to the appropriate public safety answering point and other appropriate emergency entities based on the location of the caller;

(E) supports data, video, and other communications needs for coordinated incident response and management; and

(F) interoperates with services and networks used by first responders to facilitate emergency response.

"NG9-1-1 costs" means those recurring costs that directly relate to the Next Generation 9-1-1 service as determined by the Statewide 9-1-1 Administrator with the advice of the Statewide 9-1-1 Advisory Board, which may include, but need not be limited to, costs for NENA i3 Core Components (Border Control Function (BCF), Emergency Call Routing Function (ECRF), Location Validation Function (LVF), Emergency Services Routing Proxy (ESRP), Policy Store/Policy Routing Functions (PSPRF), and Location Information Servers (LIS)), Statewide ESInet, software external to the PSAP (data collection, identity management, aggregation, and GIS functionality), and gateways (legacy 9-1-1 tandems or gateways or both).

"Originating service provider" or "OSP" means the entity that provides services to end users that may be used to originate voice or nonvoice 9-1-1 requests for assistance and who would interconnect, in any of various fashions, to the 9-1-1 system provider for purposes of delivering 9-1-1 traffic to the public safety answering points.

"Private branch exchange" or "PBX" means a private telephone system and associated equipment located on the user's property that provides communications between internal stations and external networks.

"Private business switch service" means network and premises based systems including a VoIP, Centrex type service, or PBX service, even though key telephone systems or equivalent telephone systems registered with the Federal Communications Commission under 47 CFR Part 68 are directly connected to Centrex type and PBX systems. "Private business switch service" does not include key telephone systems or equivalent telephone systems registered with the Federal Communications Commission under 47 CFR Part 68 when not used in conjunction with a VoIP, Centrex type, or PBX systems. "Private business switch service" typically includes, but is not limited to, private businesses, corporations, and industries where the telecommunications service is primarily for conducting business.

"Private residential switch service" means network and premise based systems including a VoIP, Centrex type service, or PBX service or key telephone systems or equivalent telephone systems registered with the Federal Communications Commission under 47 CFR Part 68 that are directly connected to a VoIP, Centrex type service, or PBX systems equipped for switched local network connections or 9-1-1 system access to residential end users through a private telephone switch. "Private residential switch service" does not include key telephone systems or equivalent telephone systems registered with the Federal Communications Commission under 47 CFR Part 68 when not used in conjunction with a VoIP, Centrex type, or PBX systems. "Private residential switch service" typically includes, but is not limited to, apartment complexes, condominiums, and campus or university environments where shared tenant service is provided and where the usage of the telecommunications service is primarily residential.

"Public agency" means the State, and any unit of local government or special purpose district located in whole or in part within this State, that provides or has authority to provide firefighting, police, ambulance, medical, or other emergency services.

"Public safety agency" means a functional division of a public agency that provides firefighting, police, medical, or other emergency services to respond to and manage emergency incidents. For the purpose of providing wireless service to users of 9-1-1 emergency services, as expressly provided for in this Act, the Illinois State Police may be considered a public safety agency.

"Public safety answering point" or "PSAP" means the primary answering location of an emergency call that meets the appropriate standards of service and is responsible for receiving and processing those calls and events according to a specified operational policy.

"PSAP representative" means the manager or supervisor of a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) who oversees the daily operational functions and is responsible for the overall management and administration of the PSAP.

"Public safety telecommunicator" means any person employed in a full-time or part-time capacity at an answering point whose duties or responsibilities include answering, receiving, or transferring an emergency call for dispatch to the appropriate emergency responder.

"Public safety telecommunicator supervisor" means any person employed in a full-time or part-time capacity at an answering point or by a 9-1-1 Authority, whose primary duties or responsibilities are to direct, administer, or manage any public safety telecommunicator and whose responsibilities include answering, receiving, or transferring an emergency call for dispatch to the appropriate emergency responders.

"Referral" means a 9-1-1 service in which the public safety telecommunicator provides the calling party with the telephone number of the appropriate public safety agency or other provider of emergency services.

"Regular service" means any telecommunications service, other than advanced service, that is capable of transporting either the subscriber's inter-premises voice telecommunications services to the public switched network or the subscriber's 9-1-1 calls to the public agency.

"Relay" means a 9-1-1 service in which the public safety telecommunicator takes the pertinent information from a caller and relays that information to the appropriate public safety agency or other provider of emergency services.

"Remit period" means the billing period, one month in duration, for which a wireless carrier remits a surcharge and provides subscriber information by zip code to the Illinois State Police, in accordance with Section 20 of this Act.

"Secondary Answering Point" or "SAP" means a location, other than a PSAP, that is able to receive the voice, data, and call back number of E9-1-1 or NG9-1-1 emergency calls transferred from a PSAP and completes the call taking process by dispatching police, medical, fire, or other emergency responders.

"Shared residential MLTS service" means the use of one or more MLTS or MLTS services to provide telephone service to residential facilities, including, but not limited to, single-family dwellings and multi-family dwellings, such as apartments, even if the service is not individually billed.

"Shared telecommunications services" means the provision of telecommunications and information management services and equipment within a user group located in discrete private premises in building complexes, campuses, or high-rise buildings by a commercial shared services provider or by a user association, through privately owned customer premises equipment and associated data processing and information management services. The term "shared telecommunications services" includes the provisioning of connections to the facilities of a local exchange carrier or an interexchange carrier.

"Statewide wireless emergency 9-1-1 system" means all areas of the State where an emergency telephone system board has not declared its intention for one or more of its public safety answering points to serve as a primary wireless 9-1-1 public safety answering point for its jurisdiction. The operator of the statewide wireless emergency 9-1-1 system shall be the Illinois State Police.

"System" means the communications equipment and related software applications required to produce a response by the appropriate emergency public safety agency or other provider of emergency services as a result of an emergency call being placed to 9-1-1.

"System provider" means the contracted entity providing 9-1-1 network and database services.

"Telecommunications carrier" means those entities included within the definition specified in Section 13-202 of the Public Utilities Act, and includes those carriers acting as resellers of telecommunications services. "Telecommunications carrier" includes telephone systems operating as mutual concerns. "Telecommunications carrier" does not include a wireless carrier.

"Telecommunications technology" means equipment that can send and receive written messages over the telephone network.

"Temporary residence MLTS" means the use of a MLTS or MLTS service to provide telephone service to occupants of temporary or transient dwellings, including, but not limited to, dormitories, hotels, motels, health care facilities, and nursing homes, or other similar facilities.

"Transfer" means a 9-1-1 service in which the public safety telecommunicator, who receives an emergency call, transmits, redirects, or conferences that call to the appropriate public safety agency or other provider of emergency services. "Transfer" shall not include a relay or referral of the information without transferring the caller.

"Transmitting messages" shall have the meaning given to that term under Section 8-11-2 of the Illinois Municipal Code.

"Trunk line" means a transmission path, or group of transmission paths, connecting a subscriber's PBX to a telecommunications carrier's public switched network. In the case of regular service, each voice grade communications channel or equivalent amount of bandwidth capable of transporting either the subscriber's inter-premises voice telecommunications services to the public switched network or the subscriber's 9-1-1 calls to the public agency shall be considered a trunk line, even if it is bundled with other channels or additional bandwidth. In the case of advanced service, each DS-1, T-1, or other un-channelized or multi-channel transmission facility that is capable of transporting either the subscriber's inter-premises voice telecommunications services to the public switched network or the subscriber's 9-1-1 calls to the public agency shall be considered a single trunk line, even if it contains multiple voice grade communications channels or otherwise supports 2 or more voice grade calls at a time; provided, however, that each additional increment of up to 24 voice grade channels of transmission capacity that is capable of transporting either the subscriber's inter-premises voice telecommunications services to the public switched network or the subscriber's 9-1-1 calls to the public agency shall be considered an additional trunk line.

"Unmanned backup answering point" means an answering point that serves as an alternate to the PSAP at an alternate location and is typically unmanned but can be activated if the primary PSAP is disabled.

"Virtual answering point" or "VAP" means a temporary or nonpermanent location that is capable of receiving an emergency call, contains a fully functional worksite that is not bound to a specific location, but rather is portable and scalable, connecting public safety telecommunicators to the work process, and is capable of completing the call dispatching process.

"Voice-impaired individual" means a person with a permanent speech disability which precludes oral communication, who can regularly and routinely communicate by telephone only through the aid of devices which can send and receive written messages over the telephone network.

"Wireless carrier" means a provider of two-way cellular, broadband PCS, geographic area 800 MHZ and 900 MHZ Commercial Mobile Radio Service (CMRS), Wireless Communications Service (WCS), or other Commercial Mobile Radio Service (CMRS), as defined by the Federal Communications Commission, offering radio communications that may provide fixed, mobile, radio location, or satellite communication services to individuals or businesses within its assigned spectrum block and geographical area or that offers real-time, two-way voice service that is interconnected with the public switched network, including a reseller of such service.

"Wireless enhanced 9-1-1" means the ability to relay the telephone number of the originator of a 9-1-1 call and location information from any mobile handset or text telephone device accessing the wireless system to the designated wireless public safety answering point as set forth in the order of the Federal Communications Commission, FCC Docket No. 94-102, adopted June 12, 1996, with an effective date of October 1, 1996, and any subsequent amendment thereto.

"Wireless public safety answering point" means the functional division of a 9-1-1 authority accepting wireless 9-1-1 calls.

"Wireless subscriber" means an individual or entity to whom a wireless service account or number has been assigned by a wireless carrier, other than an account or number associated with prepaid wireless telecommunication service.

(Source: P.A. 102-9, eff. 6-3-21; 102-538, eff. 8-20-21; 102-813, eff. 5-13-22; 102-983, eff. 5-27-22; 103-366, eff. 1-1-24.)