Sec. 771.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:

(1) "Commission" means the Commission on State Emergency Communications.

(2) "Business service user" means a user of business service that provides telecommunications service, including 9-1-1 service, to end users through a publicly or privately owned telephone switch.

(3) "Emergency communication district" means:

(A) a public agency or group of public agencies acting jointly that provided 9-1-1 service before September 1, 1987, or that had voted or contracted before that date to provide that service; or

(B) a district created under Subchapter B, C, D, F, G, or H, Chapter 772.

(4) Repealed by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 4, Sec. 73.01, eff. September 28, 2011.

(5) "Local exchange service provider" means a telecommunications carrier providing telecommunications service in a local exchange service area under a certificate of public convenience and necessity issued by the Public Utility Commission of Texas.

(5-a) "Next generation 9-1-1 service" has the meaning assigned by 47 U.S.C. Section 942.

(5-b) "Next generation 9-1-1 service fund" means the next generation 9-1-1 service fund established under Section 771.0713.

(6) "9-1-1 service" means a communications service that connects users to a public safety answering point through a 9-1-1 system. The term includes next generation 9-1-1 service.

(7) "Public agency" means the state, a municipality, a county, an emergency communication district, a regional planning commission, an appraisal district, or any other political subdivision or district that provides, participates in the provision of, or has authority to provide fire-fighting, law enforcement, ambulance, medical, 9-1-1, or other emergency services.

(8) "Public safety agency" means the division of a public agency that provides fire-fighting, police, medical, or other emergency services, or a private entity that provides emergency medical or ambulance services.

(9) "Public safety answering point" means a continuously operated communications facility that is assigned the responsibility to receive 9-1-1 calls and, as appropriate, to dispatch public safety services or to extend, transfer, or relay 9-1-1 calls to appropriate public safety agencies.

(10) "Regional planning commission" means a planning commission established under Chapter 391, Local Government Code.

(11) "Business service" means a telecommunications service classified as a business service under rules adopted by the Public Utility Commission of Texas or under the applicable tariffs of the principal service supplier.

(12) "Wireless service provider" means a provider of commercial mobile service under Section 332(d), Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 (47 U.S.C. Section 151 et seq.), Federal Communications Commission rules, and the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 (Pub. L. No. 103-66), and includes a provider of wireless two-way communication service, radio-telephone communications related to cellular telephone service, network radio access lines or the equivalent, and personal communication service. The term does not include a provider of:

(A) a service whose users do not have access to 9-1-1 service;

(B) a communication channel used only for data transmission;

(C) a wireless roaming service or other nonlocal radio access line service; or

(D) a private telecommunications service.

(13) "Wireless telecommunications connection" means any voice-capable wireless communication mobile station that is provided to a customer by a wireless service provider.

(14) "Service provider" means a local exchange service provider, a wireless service provider, and any other provider of local exchange access lines or equivalent local exchange access lines.

Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 678, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989. Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 735, Sec. 1, eff. June 16, 1993; Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 936, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 30, 1993; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 638, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1246, Sec. 1, eff; Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1405, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1406, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 30, 1999.

Amended by:

Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 4 (S.B. 1), Sec. 73.01, eff. September 28, 2011.

Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 4 (S.B. 1), Sec. 73.02, eff. September 28, 2011.

Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 331 (H.B. 1972), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2013.

Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 552 (S.B. 628), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2013.

Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 80 (S.B. 1108), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2015.

Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 830 (H.B. 2911), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2021.