Rep. Karickhoff works for public safety
STATEHOUSE – State Representative Mike Karickhoff (R-Kokomo) authored legislation that works to streamline communication services and increase disaster preparedness during emergency situations. House Bill (HB) 1475 would increase funding for the statewide 911 system as well as provide flexibility for local fiscal bodies to fairly distribute more funds to support their Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs). This legislation passed out of the Senate with a 49-1 vote.
“The purpose of this bill is to ensure that every community in Indiana has the ability to effectively and efficiently communicate in the event that an emergency or disaster occurs,” said Rep. Karickhoff.
The bill increases funding for the statewide 911 system in an effort to ensure safety and emergency preparedness across Indiana. To supplement the revenue generated at the local level, a statewide 911 user fee is also collected to support PSAPs around the state. This legislation provides greater flexibility for local fiscal bodies to fund their PSAPs while standardizing the user fee.
“This legislation has been a bipartisan effort for several years,” said Rep. Karickhoff. “The Indiana General Assembly has worked diligently to streamline our 911 system and make it as efficient as possible for Hoosiers.”
HB 1475 also increases accountability by allowing the state 911 board to audit telecommunications service providers by collecting reports from PSAPs and by adding the director of the Indiana Department of Homeland Security and the state Geographic Information Systems officer to the statewide 911 board.Visit iga.in.gov to learn more about HB 1475.
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State Rep. Mike Karickhoff serves as Budget Subcommittee Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee and on the Natural Resources Committee. He is also the chair of the Indiana Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations. Rep. Karickhoff represents portions of Howard and Grant counties, most of the city of Kokomo and the towns of Swayzee and Greentown.
